Ecuador 2017 Election: 5 Things You Need to Know

Ecuador's political landscape has generally remained quite static during the past nine years, with the country's president, Rafael Correa, taking his place as the Latin American nation's chief for two terms straight. Thus, for most Ecuadorians, Correa's prominent figure has become synonymous with the country's presidency itself.

Next year, however, it might very well be a completely different story. With a provisional measure taking effect in May 2017, Ecuador will be forced to take an unfamiliar step forward. Thus, it is of course, always better to be fully informed.

Here are five things you must know for next year's Ecuadorian elections.

Correa is Not Running For Re-Elections

Despite the Ecuadorian constitution being amended in December 2015 to allow unlimited consecutive re-elections of political posts, a provision initiated by the country's lawmakers has declared that the elimination of term limits will only apply to the politicians elected after the 2017 elections. Correa, whose second term began before the constitution was amended, does not qualify for the unlimited re-election provision.

Moreno Might Be Next in Line

Due to Correa being unable to seek re-election, many are predicting that his second-in-command, Lenin Moreno, will be his party's standard-bearer for the upcoming 2017 elections. Such a decision would make sense, considering that Moreno already served as Correa's vice-president during his first term in office.

There Will Be No Intermediaries

One thing that is set to be eliminated in the 217 elections is the inclusion of intermediaries. In Ecuador's previous elections, the announcement of voting results goes through an intermediary before being endorsed to the Consejo Nacional Electoral (CNE). In the upcoming elections, voting results will be transmitted from voting centers directly to the CNE, allowing for a more efficient tallying process.

There Might Be Two Elections in 2017

Diego Tello, a senior CNE official, stated that there is a possibility Ecuador might see two elections in 2017. The first round of the voting process is scheduled for Feb. 19, 2017, which falls on a Sunday. However, the country does have a failsafe just in case the first round fails, in the form of a runoff election, scheduled for April 2, 2017.

Correa Might Be Back in 2021

Being barred from participating in Ecuador's 2017 presidential race does not mean that Correa will not be allowed to run for the country's highest office anymore. Ironically, the very amendment which bars him from participating in the elections next year also allows him to run for president once more in 2021 when the next elections are set to take place.

Next year's elections in Ecuador will see voters electing five regional parliamentarians, 137 federal lawmakers, the vice-president and the president.