Mexico

Political Institutions

Presentation Outline

II. Political Institutionsa) Presidential system/separation of powersb) The Presidentc) The Legislative Branchd) Recruitment of elitese) The Judicial Branchf) The Party Systemg) The Electoral System

II. a) presidential system/separation of powers

Mexico has three completely separate branches of government. Unlike Britain’s parliamentary system, Mexico’s legislative and executive branches are separately elected and work independently of one another. However, in order to pass legislation both the executive and legislative branches need to come to an agreement. When one political party controls both legislative houses and the presidency, as PRI did for much of the twentieth century, it is easy to pass legislation. But in a competitive system where one party may control the presidency, and another the legislative branch, legislative deadlock may occur.

The main reason for the presidential system is to ensure a system of checks and balances and to prevent corruption and a monopolization of power

Divided Government

President

Senate Chamber of Deputies

Proposes legislation

Senate defeats president’s bill.

Chamber blocks president’s legislative agenda

II. b) The President

• The Mexican president is both head of government and head of state

• Is elected for one 6 year term without the possibility of re-election

• Appoints Cabinet secretaries• Nominates supreme court judges• Is commander in chief of the armed forces• Has decree powers• Can veto legislation

1988-1994 1994-2000 2000-2006 2006-2012 2012-2018

Recent Mexican Presidents

Ernesto ZedilloPRI

Vicente FoxPAN

Felipe CalderonPAN

Carlos SalinasPRI

*Until 1999 the President also had the power to choose or handpick his successor. Since 1999 Political Parties run primaries. The party members vote for the party leader.

Enrique NietoPRI

II. c) The Legislative Branch

• Mexico legislative branch is bicameral.• Elected Chamber of Deputies (Lower House)

based on representation by population• Elected Senate (Upper House) based on

regional representation

Mexican Chamber of Deputies•elected to one 3 year term (no re-election•Creates and amends legislation•Can overturn a presidential veto with a supermajority (66%+)•Can impeach the president with a supermajority (66%+)•500 members total 300 elected by SMD 200 elected by PR•Regardless of popular vote totals, no party may have more than 300/500 seats

The Senate •Elected to one 6 year term (no re-election•Creates and amends legislation•Can overturn a presidential veto with a supermajority (66%+)•Can impeach the president with a supermajority (66%+)•Confirms presidential appointments to the Cabinet and Supreme Court•Can remove a governor or dissolve a state legislature with a supermajority vote (66%+)•128 members•4 Senators per state•Half elected using SMD•Half elected using PR

II. d) Recruitment of elites

• PRI leaders have tended to rise through camarillas (support networks) or “old boys” networks, including top Mexican universities and US ivy league grad schools such as Harvard and Yale

• Traditionally, most PRI leaders were technocrats with training in engineering, economic, or political science

• The Capitalinos, residents of Mexico City have also tended to dominate the elite party positions and Cabinet posts

• The PAN party is less institutionalized in Mexico and are essentially still outsiders as far as networking is concerned. Many top PAN leaders such as Vicente Fox tend to have a private sector and business background

II. e) The Judicial Branch

Mexico uses a legal code based on Roman Law.

The judicial branch is independent of the legislative and executive branches.

• 2008 Legal Reform• The Supreme Court• Rule of law

2008 legal reforms

• The Mexican government passed a legal reform act which improved due process for defendants in criminal trials.

• Now defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by the state.

• Prior to 2008 defendants had to prove innocence; this resulted in the unjust conviction and imprisonment of many innocent people

The Mexican Supreme Court

• Highest federal court in Mexico• Consists of 11 judges who are nominated by

the President and confirmed by the Senate• Judges are limited to one 15 year term• Has the authority to declare government

laws and actions unconstitutional. This is known as judicial review

• In order for the court to declare an act unconstitutional a vote of at least 8/11 supreme court judges is required

• Judicial review has rarely been used against the wishes of the Mexican President

Rule of law• Mexico is moving towards rule of law but has

a long way to go to catch up to liberal democracies in this aspect.

II. f) The Party System

• From 1929- the mid-1990s Mexico essentially had a one-party dominant state, even though a multi-party system did exist and was provided for constitutionally

• The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) dominated this period

• Since the mid-1990s a competitive multi-party system has emerged.

• Parties now have clear ideologies and their own support bases.

Left Centre Right

Alignment of Main Mexican Political Parties on the Political Spectrum

National Action Party

Institutional Revolutionary Party

Party of the Democratic Revolution

Mexican Green Party

Party

Popular Support Base

•Middle class professionals and entrepreneurs•Landowners•PRI outsiders

•Middle and upper class elites with party connections•Poor, rural farmers

•Young, urban intellectuals•Students•Lower-middle class professions

GeographicBase of Support

States north of Mexico citySome resort and tourist states in the south

More widespread supportPoor southern states

Mexico cityUrban centres

Geographic and Popular Support Bases of PAN, PRI, and PRD

II. g) The Electoral System

• Direct elections for the Chamber of Deputies, Senate, and Presidency

• Mexico uses a mixed PR and SMD system for electing members to the Chamber of Deputies and Senate

• Presidents are limited to one six year term and are elected using a plurality system, with no majority or second round run-off needed.

1993 Electoral Reform law

• Doubled the Size of the Senate• Guarantee that opposition parties would control at

least one-third of the Senate seats• Guarantee that no political party could have more

than 300 out of 500 seats in the Chamber of Deputies

* Without a supermajority (2/3 of the seats) no political party can push through its agenda without the support of opposition parties.

Discussion Questions

1) Compare and contrast the Mexican President with the British Prime Minister in terms of their relationship with the electorate and their respective legislatures.

2) Why do you think Mexico instituted the no re-election law for its political office holders? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this unique law?

3) Which other political party system that we have studied most closely represents Mexico’s system under PRI rule, and today?