Ecuador Might Have a New Government in Up to Six Months

This is expected to happen if President Guillermo Lasso's decision to dissolve the legislature is not declared unconstitutional.

On Wednesday afternoon, the National Electoral Council (CNE) will offer details on the organization of early elections, once President Guillermo Lasso dissolved Parliament through executive decree 741.

Invoking the Constitution's Article 148, his decree asks the CNE to call early elections due to the "serious internal political upheaval." Through this resource, Lasso avoided being dismissed in an impeachment process that began yesterday and would have ended on Saturday.

Since there is no "serious internal upheaval" in this Andean country, the opposition Social Christian Party (PSC) announced that it will file a lawsuit of unconstitutionality to suspend decree 741. This lawsuit must be analyzed by the Constitutional Court.

In the event that no lawsuit against Lasso's decree prospers, the process of forming a new government could take up to 180 days, which will be distributed approximately as follows.

Former Vice Presidential candidate Carlos Rabascall's tweet reads, "While 'cross death' is a constitutional tool, Guillermo Lasso has made illegitimate use of it. Dissolving the Assembly to halt impeachment represents constitutional fraud and demonstrates Lasso's excessive vanity and lack of democratic spirit."

Once decree 741 has been published in the official registry, the CNE has seven days to call presidential and legislative elections. After that call, Ecuadorians could have about 90 days to define candidates and carry out electoral campaigns.

Once citizens vote, the CNE must count the polls and announce the results of the elections within a period of 7 days.

If no presidential binomial obtains the majority of the votes, the CNE will call for a second electoral round, which must take place within the following 45 days from the proclamation of results.

If the second round takes place, the CNE will have 7 days to announce the results. After that period, the new Ecuadorian president and vice president should be sworn in. They will hold office until May 2025, the date on which Lasso should have handed over his position.