Mexico - May 2023

On 8 May, nine out of 11 Supreme Court (SCJN) justices voted to invalidate part of the ‘Plan B’ electoral reform proposed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), due to serious violations of the legislative process. The ruling revokes changes to legislation limiting the National Electoral Institute’s (INE) ability to oversee political communication. However, it does not affect the second part of the reform package, including budget cuts for INE, which remains suspended by the SCJN since March and will be considered at a later date. The Court’s decision was largely praised as a successful check on executive power. However, the ruling has been criticized by members of the ruling party, MORENA and exacerbated tensions between the executive and SCJN. In response to the ruling, AMLO announced a new initiative to elect SCJN justices through popular vote. This has raised concerns about potential politicization of the judiciary and impact on judicial independence. According to President López Obrador, the initiative would enhance transparency, democratic participation and reduce corruption within the judiciary.

Sources: Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación, El País, Mexico News Daily,  International IDEA Democracy Tracker, El Economista, Courthouse News, Reuters