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Mexico

Monthly Event Reports

December 2023 | Change in Electoral Tribunal’s leadership raises concerns
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In December, Reyes Rodríguez Mondragón resigned as President of the Federal Judiciary’s Electoral Tribunal (TEPJF, Tribunal Electoral del Poder Judicial de la Federación), a significant development just six months before the country's largest electoral process (in terms of number of offices for election). After the tenure of two of its seven magistrates expired and due to an impasse in the Senate that has prevented the designation of replacements, the TEPJF’s High Chamber has been functioning with only five members since November. Of these, three magistrates expressed their loss of trust in the leadership of former President Rodríguez Mondragón and publicly called on him to resign. Reports indicate that the three magistrates were unhappy with how the Tribunal’s internal administration was being handled. Allegations in the media of external political pressures were denied by the former President, Justice Mónica Soto Fregoso was subsequently voted in as the new president of the Tribunal and started her tenure in January 2024. Experts had expressed their concern, calling on the three magistrates to privilege the TEPJF’s stability. Some stressed that this situation seriously impacts public trust in the electoral justice system, particularly given the opacity of the allegations made against the former President.

October 2023 | Judicial budget reform sparks protests

On 18 October, the Mexican Congress approved a modification to Article 224 of the Organic Law of the Federal Judicial Power (PJF) concerning trust funds. The revision significantly reduces the budget available to the PJF, eliminating 13 of 14 trust funds and banning the creation of new ones. The reform was approved by the Senate on 24 October, and President López Obrador enacted it on 28 October.   This action impacts Mexico’s Supreme Court, the Federal Judicial Oversight Body, and the Federal Electoral Tribunal, and is a part of President López Obrador's wider campaign against corruption and government overspending. The resources from the dissolved trust funds are expected to be redirected to the Federal Treasury, supporting social programs pursuant to the National Development Plan. However, the budget cuts have ignited debate and triggered protests due to concerns that they may compromise the independence of the judiciary and impact the rights of judicial employees. Despite President López Obrador's assurances that lower-ranking court workers will not be impacted by these changes, members of the judiciary and critics consider such workers will be affected the most. Several protests by employees of the PJF resulted in the temporary suspension of some judicial work and services. At the same time, criticism about the potential weakening of the judiciary, through budget cuts, persists. Critics argue that the reform could disrupt the balance of power, undermining the judiciary's ability to act as a check on executive power. 

September 2023 | Supreme Court ruling decriminalises abortion at the federal level

On 6 September 2023, the Supreme Court determined that provisions of the federal criminal code that establish the prohibition of abortion are unconstitutional as they are contrary to women’s right to choose and people’s ability to conceive. The Court reasoned that the provisions in question violated the rights to free personal development, reproductive autonomy, health, equality and non-discrimination. It further characterized the criminalisation of abortion as an act of gender-based violence and discrimination. On previous occasions, the Court had ruled on the unconstitutionality of the criminalisation of abortion in local criminal codes.  The case was brought to the Court’s attention by a civil society organization. As an effect of the ruling, the Court ordered Congress to derogate the provisions that criminalise voluntary abortion (either self-procured or consented to and practised by a medical professional or midwife).  

July 2023 | Electoral authorities sanction president over attacks on opposition

On 13 July, the National Electoral Institute (INE) took decisive action amid an escalating dispute between President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and opposition candidate Xóchitl Gálvez, which had been ongoing since early July. The feud was marked by allegations of public slander, private financial data disclosure, and direct criticism in Obrador's daily press briefings, or 'mañaneras', leading INE to issue an order prohibiting the president from commenting on potential candidates for the 2024 elections. This intervention was triggered by a complaint from Gálvez, who accused Obrador of misusing state resources and perpetrating "political gender-based violence". Upon investigation, the INE found that Obrador's comments violated principles of neutrality, impartiality, and fairness, leading to the removal of several press conference videos from July. Despite the ruling, Obrador continued his criticisms, promoting further action from an electoral court on 2 August. The ruling deemed Obrador’s actions as "gender-based violence" and issued another order for him to cease this behaviour. The president has been accused of breaching electoral laws by using 'mañaneras' (publicly funded broadcasts) to target the opposition. He denies these allegations and, claiming an infringement on his freedom of expression.

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GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022

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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
130 262 220
System of government
Presidential system
Head of government
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (since 2018)
Head of government party
Morena (National Regeneration Movement)
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
Mixed-member Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
50.0%
Women in upper chamber
49.2%
Last legislative election
2021
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
2.69
Head of state
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (plurality)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
07/11/2018
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
99.24%
Population Tooltip
130 262 220
System of government
Presidential system
Head of government
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (since 2018)
Head of government party
Morena (National Regeneration Movement)
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
Mixed-member Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
50.0%
Women in upper chamber
49.2%
Last legislative election
2021
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
2.69
Head of state
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (plurality)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
07/11/2018
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
99.24%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
State Party
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
State Party
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
Signatory
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
American Convention on Human Rights
State Party
Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
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Performance by category over the last 6 months

Representation neutral Representation
Sep 2023
Oct
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Feb 2024
Representation neutral Rights
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Representation neutral Rule of law
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Representation neutral Participation
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Dec
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Global State of Democracy Indices

Hover over the trend lines to see the exact data points across the years

Explore the indices
Representation
Representation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
Rule of Law
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Annual value

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

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