Weekly Report - 12 November 2009 (WR-09-45)

President Mauricio Funes and his ruling left-wing Frente Farabundo Martí­ para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN) are beginning to reap the benefits of the recent schism in the main rightwing opposition Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (Arena) [WR-09-43]. The subsequent changes in the legislative directorate have strengthened the FMLN's hand in congress, and the ease with which the 2010 state budget was passed illustrated Funes' extra room for manoeuvre.
 
On 31 October legislators voted to expand the 11-seat congressional directorate by two seats in order to represent the Arena rebel bloc, now known as the Gran Alianza por la Unidad Nacional (Gana). The Gana is now the third most significant grouping in the 84-seat congress, with 12 legislators, after the FMLN, with 35 and Arena, now with 20. Both new seats went to the Gana, while the Arena lost one of its three seats to the now Gana member, Guillermo Gallegos. The FMLN, which has three directorate seats,  also took an additional seat from the rightwing Partido Demócrata Cristiano (PDC) during the negotiations. Also approved was the decision to rotate the congress leadership between the rightwing Partido de Conciliación Nacional (PCN) - which has ten votes and currently holds the presidency - and the FMLN, serving to further bolster the influence of the ruling party.