Honduran judges throw out single-term limit on presidency [View all]

[Judi Lynn]

Honduran judges throw out single-term limit on presidency

Ruling revives tensions that led to coup and ouster of Manuel Zelaya six years ago when he sought to change constitution so officeholders could stand again

Associated Press in Tegucigalpa
Friday 24 April 2015 00.22 EDT


[font size=1]
The current Honduran president, Juan Orlando Hernandez, would be able to stand for a further term after judges
threw out part of the country’s constitution. Photograph: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
[/font]

The supreme court in Honduras has voided a single-term limit for the country’s presidency — the issue at the heart of the political conflict that led to the ouster of socialist incumbent Manuel Zelaya six years ago when he sought to hold a referendum on rewriting the constitution.

The push by the governing National party to make the change, which would permit President Juan Orlando Hernandez to seek a second term, has drawn widespread criticism from the opposition, which notes the same politicians behind it were involved in the 2009 coup against Zelaya.

Forces that united to remove Zelaya from office, including some members of his own party, had contended he wanted to end the ban on second terms so he could remain in power.

The supreme court initially voted 5-0 on Thursday to strike down the prohibition on presidential re-election but judge Elmer Lizardo, a member of the opposition Liberal party, reversed his vote later in the day.

More:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/24/honduran-judges-throw-out-single-term-limit-on-presidency