El presidente puede abstenerse.

Because abstenerse is the normal dictionary form of this verb. It is a pronominal verb, which means it is used with se.

So the structure is:

• abstenerse = to abstain / to refrain

You usually do not say abstener by itself in this meaning.

In abstenerse, se is part of the verb itself. It is not being used in the same way as a normal reflexive like lavarse (to wash oneself), where someone does something to themselves.

Here, se belongs to the verb as a fixed form:

• abstenerse de algo = to abstain from something

In your sentence, the verb is being used without adding what the person is abstaining from, because the context already makes it clear.

Because after a conjugated verb like puede, Spanish often puts the pronoun onto the infinitive.

So:

• puede abstenerse

is a very normal structure.

You can also say:

• se puede abstener

Both are grammatical, but puede abstenerse is especially common and neat in simple statements like this.

Puede is:

• present tense
• third person singular
• from the verb poder (to be able to / can / may)

So it matches el presidente:

• el presidente puede = the president can/may

Other forms of poder in the present are:

• puedo
• puedes
• puede
• podemos
• podéis
• pueden

Because after poder, Spanish uses an infinitive.

This is the same pattern as in English:

• can vote
• can speak
• can abstain

So in Spanish:

• puede votar
• puede hablar
• puede abstenerse

You do not conjugate both verbs.

It can mean either, depending on context.

• can = ability or possibility
• may = permission

So El presidente puede abstenerse could mean:

• The president can abstain
• The president may abstain

Without more context, both are possible. Spanish often leaves that distinction to the situation.

Spanish often uses the definite article with titles, roles, and offices when talking about someone:

• el presidente
• la ministra
• el profesor

So el presidente is completely natural.

English often says the president, so this matches well here. But Spanish can also use articles in places where English would not.

For example:

• El presidente llegó. = The president arrived.

Yes. Presidente has traditionally been used for both men and women, depending on the article:

• el presidente
• la presidente

In modern Spanish, especially in many contexts in Spain, la presidenta is also very common and widely accepted.

So for a female president, you may see either:

• la presidente
• la presidenta

In your sentence, el shows that this version is masculine.

Very often, Spanish uses abstenerse de + noun/infinitive:

• abstenerse de votar = to abstain from voting
• abstenerse de comentar = to refrain from commenting

But if the context is obvious, Spanish can leave that part out:

• El presidente puede abstenerse.

This is especially natural in contexts like voting, parliamentary procedure, or formal decisions, where everyone already knows what the abstention refers to.

Yes, usually.

• no votar = not vote
• abstenerse = abstain

Abstenerse sounds more formal and more precise, especially in political, legal, or procedural contexts.

For example, in a vote:

• No votar could simply mean not voting.
• Abstenerse specifically suggests taking part in the process but choosing not to vote either for or against.

So this sentence sounds quite formal and institutional.

A simple Spain-Spanish pronunciation guide would be:

• El → el
• presidente → preh-see-DEN-teh
• puede → PWEH-deh
• abstenerse → abs-teh-NER-seh

The strongest stresses are on:

• presiDENte
• PUEde
• absteNERse

So the full sentence sounds roughly like:

• el preh-see-DEN-teh PWEH-deh abs-teh-NER-seh

Yes, very often Spanish omits subject pronouns, but in this sentence the subject is a noun phrase, not a pronoun.

If the context were already clear, Spanish could say simply:

• Puede abstenerse.

That would mean He/She can abstain or The president can abstain, depending on context.

Spanish often leaves subjects unstated when they are already understood.