Electoral Reform in Mexico: A Threat to Democracy

In 2022, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, commonly known as AMLO, first proposed a constitutional reform to Mexico’s electoral system that would have dramatically altered the National Electoral Institute’s (INE) structure but it did not receive the required two-thirds majority in Congress. 

In response, AMLO drafted a so-called “Plan B” that only required approval by a simple majority of the Congress, which he secured this past February. Plan B obstructs INE’s operations, slashes its budget and significantly reduces its personnel. In line with his fiscal austerity measures, AMLO argued that the budgetary cuts will save millions of dollars, eliminate corruption, and make voting easier, including for Mexicans living abroad. 

In March, Mexico's Supreme Court temporarily suspended parts of Plan B and confirmed it would consider a lawsuit from INE that seeks to overturn the electoral reform. The court argued that the reform could violate citizen’s political and electoral rights. 

To analyze the implications, challenges, and opportunities of the recently proposed electoral reforms on Mexico’s democracy, please join us on April 18 from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm EST.