[1/2] El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele delivers a speech to mark his fourth year in office, in San Salvador, El Salvador June 1, 2023. REUTERS/Jessica Orellana/File PhotoSAN SALVADOR, June 7 (Reuters) - El Salvador's Congress passed an electoral reform in the early hours of Wednesday to reduce the lawmaking body's size by nearly a third, a move the ruling party says will reduce spending and critics say consolidates power ahead of elections. The reform, announced last week by President Nayib Bukele in an address marking four years in government, cuts the unicameral Congress' size from 84 lawmakers to 60. Presidential and legislative elections will be held in February, with municipal and regional Central American Parliament elections scheduled for March. In 2021, El Salvador's top court, whose members are appointed by Congress which is controlled by the president's party, ruled that Bukele could stand for re-election, a decision that drew international condemnation.

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Persons: Nayib Bukele, Jessica Orellana, Bukele, Anabel Belloso, Nelson Renteria, Kylie Madry, Bill Berkrot Organizations: El, San Salvador , El, REUTERS, SALVADOR, Salvador's Congress, FMLN, Central American, Thomson Locations: San Salvador ,, San Salvador , El Salvador, Congress, El