The electoral reform script is written under pressure
President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo finally revealed the letters. After a one-day delay that fueled all kinds of speculation in the political corridors, he presented the guidelines of his electoral reform on Tuesday morning.
The message was clear and forceful: there is a commitment to fulfill.
“We want a proposal that has to do with principles that we have always defended,” Sheinbaum declared from the National Palace.
But here is the first act of tension in this play. The president acknowledged that there is still no total consensus with her coalition allies, the Labor Party (PT) and the Green Party. He sent them a direct message.
“What I proposed to the parties that brought me to the government… well, it is: ‘this is the proposal, consider it,'” he explained.
However, he made it clear that the clock is ticking. The proposal will be presented to Congress regardless of what its partners decide. The next act corresponds to the legislators.
And what exactly does this new script propose?
Sheinbaum was emphatic in denying one of the main accusations of the opposition: that it seeks to create a hegemonic party.
“A proposal that recognizes the political diversity of Mexico does not seek the State party as they are trying to say,” he stated vehemently.
Among the central changes is a profound modification to proportional representation. The idea is that popularly elected positions are obtained by going to the territory to seek the citizen vote, not through closed party lists.
But there is more. The president brought a sensitive issue to the table: money.
He talks about reducing the excessive costs of elections, the financing of political institutes and even congresses. He dropped a bomb to exemplify it:
“There are some local legislators who earn more than the President.”.
He also pointed to the municipalities, pointing out cases with 35 councilors sharing public resources. The promise is a more participatory democracy and stricter oversight.
The curtain has not fallen yet. Sheinbaum will wait one more day for the formal response from the PT and the Green, but his decision seems to have been made. The text will travel to Congress, where the real public debate will begin.
Meanwhile, the national political scene is preparing for what could be one of the most defining legislative battles of the six-year term.
In addition to promoting recreation and sports, the activity represents an important economic benefit for service providers, local businesses and entrepreneurs, who benefit from the arrival of visitors during the development of the event.