Since 1826, Nicaragua has had 11 constitutions and many more reforms. While the first iterations set up three legitimate branches of government and outlined the rights of the people, the Constitution of 1987 represents a clear shift towards representative democracy. Reforms in 1995 gave extensive new powers and independence to the National Assembly. However, subsequent reform was limited by a pact between the Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC) and Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) parties, representing a shift towards authoritarianism. In recent years, Daniel Ortega has consolidated power as president, and in 2025, the constitution was amended to allow for a co-presidency, bringing his wife, Rosario Murillo, into power. Under Ortega and Murillo, more changes are expected to further their authoritarian power.^{[citation needed]}

Nicaragua was one of the five countries that formed the Federal Republic of Central America in 1823 until it seceded in 1838. During this time, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Central America (Constitución de la República Federal de Centroamérica) served as the overarching constitution for all five countries. This constitution addressed basic, fundamental rights (such as the conservation of liberty, equality, security, and property). It also introduced the separation of powers into legislative, executive, and judicial branches. It is in this constitution that patterns of representative democracy begin to emerge.

In 1826, Nicaragua legislated its own constitution, which corresponded to the mandate of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Central America. The Constitution of the State of Nicaragua of 1826 (Constitución del Estado de Nicaragua de 1826) echoed the Federal Constitution with specific additions that clarified the established legislation.

In 1838, Nicaragua permanently seceded from the Federal Republic of Central America. That same year, Nicaragua passed its first constitution independent from the federal union, the Constitution of 1838 (Constitución Política de 1838). Similar to its previous constitution, this constitution preserved many of the same principles. The separation of powers into three branches was clearly emphasized, and its specifics, as well as the protection of the fundamental rights of its citizens.

Not many fundamental changes were made in these subsequent constitutions. In general, each time a new constitution was promulgated specific time frames and functions were added for clarity and judgement of the current regime.

The Somoza family dominated Nicaraguan politics from 1936 to 1979. The eldest of the dynasty, Anastasio Somoza Garcia, was a military leader who seized power from President Juan Sacasa in 1936. This marked a notable test in Latin America, as U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had recently announced the “Good Neighbor Policy”, which severely limited U.S. intervention in the internal affairs of Latin American nations. Despite Sacasa’s repeated request for American intervention, none came. This marked the beginning of a decades-long relationship between Nicaragua's first family and the U.S. During his tenure as president of Nicaragua, Anastasio Somoza rewrote the constitution multiple times to allow for his continued occupancy of Nicaragua's highest office. Shortly after one of these reforms, Somoza was shot dead while at a social event.

His son, Luiz Somoza Debayle, undid several of his father's reforms and established constitutional checks on the executive by restricting the ability of incumbents and their family members to run for the presidency. Because of Somoza Debayle’s reforms, his brother was unable to run for the presidency in 1963 despite controlling the National Guard and being regarded as Nicaragua's second most powerful man.

Nicaragua was led by Somozan allies until the youngest Somoza was elected president in 1967. Anastasio Somoza Debayle amended the constitution in 1971 and reached an agreement with opposition parties that would see Somoza step down from the presidency in 1972, yet be eligible for re-election in 1974. However, a catastrophic 1972 earthquake that struck Managua caused Somoza to declare martial law and retain much of his power, and he was re-elected as president in 1974. He remained in this position until being overthrown by the Sandinistas in 1979, and was eventually assassinated in Paraguay in 1980 by a group of Sandinista agents.