---
title: "Assembly committee advances long-delayed rules overhaul amid political tension"
date: 2026-04-08
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/panama-assembly-rules-reform/
categories:
  - "News"
  - "Politics"
tags:
  - "Augusto Palacios"
  - "Committee on Credentials"
  - "Dana Castañeda"
  - "internal rules"
  - "legislative reform"
  - "National Assembly"
---

# Assembly committee advances long-delayed rules overhaul amid political tension

## What Happened

The National Assembly’s Committee on Credentials approved the first debate of reforms to its internal rules after months of negotiation and disagreement. Lawmakers reviewed 240 articles and changed 37 of them, marking an initial step toward updating the framework that governs how the legislature operates.

Augusto Palacios, a lawmaker from the Vamos bloc, said the outcome falls short of the deeper changes his group had wanted, but still represents a meaningful advance for the Assembly. He said his caucus will keep pushing for additional adjustments in the next stage of debate.

## Key Changes Under Discussion

Among the issues that drew the most attention was a rule on salary deductions for lawmakers who miss sessions without justification. Palacios also highlighted a proposal requiring bills to be debated in the order they are introduced, a change aimed at bringing more predictability to the legislative agenda.

The reforms also set deadlines for forming and installing committees. Under the approved text, committees must be formed within 10 business days and formally installed within five more days. If there is no consensus within the deadline, the matter must go to a vote.

That change responds to delays that have slowed the Assembly this year. Palacios said the lack of fixed time limits contributed to a roughly 35-day delay in committee installation.

## Political Pressure Inside the Assembly

The debate over the rules comes as the Assembly faces a crowded agenda, including the selection of the ombudsman, the election of a new magistrate for the Electoral Tribunal and discussion of bioethanol. Those parallel issues have intensified pressure on lawmakers as the ordinary session nears its close on April 30.

Committee chair Dana Castañeda is expected to take the proposal to the full chamber for second debate. She described the first-stage approval as historic, arguing that the legislature had gone decades without making changes to its internal regulations.

The discussion has also exposed divisions among lawmakers. Alaín Cedeño, of Realizando Metas, said some members believe the changes will not solve the Assembly’s problems, while others argue that the majority should use its power to approve the reforms without hesitation.

## What Comes Next

The next phase will determine whether the Assembly keeps the current version largely intact or adds more sweeping changes. Palacios said his bancada will continue pressing for reforms such as eliminating the secret vote in the plenary and reviewing benefits currently enjoyed by lawmakers, including vehicle purchase exemptions, which have long faced public criticism.

For now, the committee’s approval places the long-discussed overhaul on the path to a vote in the plenary, where lawmakers will decide whether the first substantial update in years becomes law.