The Mexican electoral institute made a ruling on Friday that would grant the governing Morena party and its allies approximately 73% of seats in the lower house of Congress, even though they only received less than 60% of the votes in the June 2 elections. This decision, which is subject to legal challenges, would provide the governing coalition with the necessary two-thirds majority in the Chamber of Deputies to enact changes to the constitution, giving them around 364 seats out of the total 500.
Critics argue that this ruling would give Morena an even greater level of power in Congress compared to what they achieved at the polls. The controversy stems from a law that allocates seats in Congress based on proportional representation, intended to ensure smaller parties gain representation in Congress based on their national vote share, even if they don’t secure wins in individual districts.
However, the law also prohibits the use of proportional representation seats to give any party a majority in Congress. Morena seemingly circumvented this by strategically coordinating with two allied smaller parties, enabling them to secure majority control through the back door by taking advantage of the proportional representation system.
The institute’s governing council voted that proportional representation rules apply to parties individually and do not consider the impact it might have on a coalition’s majority status. Although Morena and its allies narrowly missed a two-thirds majority in the Senate, they are only a couple of seats away and could potentially secure the needed votes from a minor party.
Both outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his successor, fellow Morena member Claudia Sheinbaum, have expressed intentions to utilize the two-thirds majority to pursue various constitutional amendments, including a proposal to make all judges undergo elections. Critics argue that this move could compromise the independence of the judiciary, consolidating more control under the ruling party.
The proposed constitutional changes have faced backlash from various quarters, including investors, financial institutions, and even the United States ambassador to Mexico. The commercial relationship between the two countries is said to be at risk due to these proposed modifications.
Furthermore, the federal courts have experienced disruptions due to a strike by court employees in protest against the judicial proposal, with judges and magistrates joining the walkout. Morena is also advocating for a reform that would essentially eliminate Mexico’s independent oversight and regulatory bodies, arguing that government departments should assume these responsibilities instead.
López Obrador’s efforts to advance his infrastructure projects without scrutiny have faced resistance through legal challenges. By amending the constitution, these hurdles could be removed, allowing his policies to continue unimpeded. Despite López Obrador’s term ending on September 30, Sheinbaum, who won the June 2 election to become Mexico’s first female president, has pledged to uphold his agenda.
