Quito, December 4 (teleSUR-RHC)-- With a vote of 100 to eight, the National Assembly voted to approve a package of 15 constitutional amendments.

One hundred and nine representatives were present for the vote. Several opposition lawmakers boycotted the final debate, meanwhile others left before the vote took place. There was one abstention.

As required by the constitution, the amendments were presented before the National Assembly for the second time following a year-long socialization of their contents throughout the country.

Ahead of the vote lawmakers gave impassioned speeches, though those speaking in favor of the amendments greatly outnumbered those who spoke against them.

The ruling PAIS Alliance party currently holds 99 seats after winning massive support during the past election, meaning the passage of the amendments was virtually guaranteed ahead of the vote.
  
The area near the offices of the National Assembly, in the Ecuadorean capital of Quito, was witness to demonstrations both in favor and against the amendments.  Politicians and organizations opposed to the policies of the Correa government have attempted to use the debate surrounding the amendments for political gain.

However, Thursday's anti-government protests were much smaller than those held earlier this year.  As they marched, demonstrators used the same slogans heard at previous anti-government rallies, calling for the ouster of the democratically-elected government.

“They claim they are supposedly representing the 'people' despite the fact that they have time and time again been overwhelmingly defeated in elections,” said President Correa via his social media accounts.

The amendments touch on a wide variety of subjects, including declaring communication to be a public service, changes to regulations governing public sector workers —including the extension of the right to unionize— and a reduction in the age requirement for the office of president, dropping from 35 to 30.

The most controversial amendment was a proposal to eliminate term limits for political office. With the approval of the package of amendments term limits are eliminated, however the changes approved by lawmakers includes a provisional measure that will make it so the change only takes place after May 24, 2017.

That transitional provision was proposed by President Rafael Correa in an effort to silence critics who accused the president of seeking to extend his time in power. The small modification effectively prevents the incumbent Correa from being able to immediately seek a third term.