Politics of Nicaragua

Nicaragua is a presidential republic, in which the Presidency of Nicaragua is both head of state and head of government, and there is a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

According to the V-Dem Democracy indices Nicaragua is 2023 the least electoral democratic country in Latin America. Since Daniel Ortega's return to presidential office in 2007, Nicaragua has experienced democratic backsliding, as Ortega has centralized power and repressed the political opposition. Scholars describe Nicaragua as somewhere between a competitive authoritarian regime and a full authoritarian regime. The dominant political party in Nicaragua, FSLN, is firmly controlled by Ortega. Despite his left-wing revolutionary rhetoric, Ortega has allied with the business class and enacted what scholars characterize as crony capitalism.