The approval and reputation of President Talon were seriously damaged in the wake of the 2019 parliamentary elections, which saw the government democratically backslide by drastically restricting the eligibility of political parties, with only two pro-government parties able to run, excluding any opposition parties. The center-left Progressive Union and the centrist Republican Bloc, the two pro-government parties created for the election, won all the seats in parliament, meaning no opposition movements would have a direct voice in legislative matters. Opposition parties called for a boycott of the election, which led to a record low 23% voter turnout, down from 65% in the previous election.
