Mexico City, March 11 - Lawmakers in the lower chamber rejected an electoral reform proposed by President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday, with critics accusing the measure of concentrating power in the hands of the ruling party. The bill did not reach the supermajority required for constitutional change after two frequent coalition partners, the Green Party (PVEM) and the Labor Party (PT), withheld their support.
In the roll call, 259 deputies voted in favor, 234 opposed and there was one abstention. The outcome represents a notable rupture in the coalition led by Morena and its partners, a bloc that has been central to passing constitutional reforms since 2021.
Sheinbaum first introduced the initiative in late February, presenting it as a package intended to strengthen democracy, boost citizen participation and reduce the cost of elections by about a quarter. Key elements in the proposal included a reduction in the number of seats in the Senate and increased oversight of electoral institutions.
Pablo Gomez, who heads the electoral reform commission, stated in late February that the cost of Mexico's electoral system had reached $3.55 billion in 2024.
Following the defeat in the lower house, Sheinbaum put forward a "Plan B" that would focus on changing secondary laws rather than the constitution. That route would require only a simple majority in Congress. According to electoral experts cited in the debate, pursuing revisions through ordinary legislation could permit cuts to the National Electoral Institute (INE), alterations to the system of proportional representation, and the adoption of new regulations governing the use of artificial intelligence in political campaigns.
While the constitutional path stalled for lack of the necessary supermajority, the alternative of amending secondary legislation provides a more attainable legislative mechanism. The tactical shift maintains the president's aim of modifying the electoral framework but relies on a different parliamentary threshold and narrower legal instruments.
The vote highlights intra-coalition tensions and sets up a legislative contest over both institutional funding and the rules that shape representation and campaigning.