Mexico - June 2023

On 22 June, Mexico's Supreme Court (SCJN) invalidated the second part of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's 'Plan B' electoral reform, effectively annulling the entire proposal. This decision followed the court's previous invalidation in May of the first part of the reform. In both rulings, the SCJN focused primarily on the legislative procedure rather than the content and implications. The decree sought to limit the National Electoral Institute’s (INE) ability to organize elections by reducing the number of offices and staff in its headquarters and the country's 300 electoral districts, and to limit INE's supervision and auditing roles. The SCJN declared that the decree’s approval had entailed "serious violations of the legislative process", contravening articles 71 and 72 of the federal constitution, which emphasize the principle of democratic deliberation. The Court further noted that equal participation of all congressional groups was not guaranteed due to the initiatives not being published in time for comprehensive review and being rushed without meeting urgent criteria. Following the SCJN's announcement, Morena (ruling party) leaders confirmed that a 'Plan C' is underway, though its specifics remain unclear.

Sources: Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación, The New York Times, International IDEA Democracy Tracker, El País, Cámara de Diputados