Mexico’s Senate has passed a reform of the National Electoral Institute (INE), a move that has been met with criticism from those who say it will undermine democracy. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, however, insists the changes will save money and reduce political privileges. The reform package includes cutting the INE’s budget, reducing staff and closing offices.
Lopez Obrador proposed the initiative, known as “Plan B”, in December after he failed to get enough votes in Congress for a constitutional reform. He has denied that the reform package could pose a risk to elections, claiming it is aimed at cutting the INE’s large budget and ending its privileges. The president has been critical of the institute since 2006, when he lost the presidential election by a slim margin and accused the result of being fraudulent.
Despite the institute confirming his landslide victory in 2018, Lopez Obrador has continued to complain about the cost of running elections in Mexico and has sought to reduce the INE’s budget. His rhetoric has been compared to that of former US President Donald Trump and ex-Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro ahead of elections in those countries.
The INE is seen as a key pillar of Mexico’s modern democracy, having enabled the opposition to break through after 71 years of single-party rule in 2000. Despite Morena, Lopez Obrador’s party, being favoured in next year’s national elections, the president has still attacked the electoral institute. Lorenzo Cordova, the institute’s leader, has defended it publicly and has said the reforms threaten Mexico’s democracy by weakening its ability to impose sanctions on candidates and parties that violate campaign finance rules.
Opponents of the reform have called a march in Mexico City on Sunday in defence of the institute. This follows a similar march in November, which was ridiculed by Lopez Obrador who led an even larger march days later. The president’s frequent attacks on the judiciary and concentration of power in the military have raised questions about his respect for democratic institutions. The reform still needs to be enacted by Lopez Obrador but is seen as a formality since he backs the initiative.