In a controversial move, Mexico’s National Electoral Institute (INE) approved an allocation of seats that grants President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s Morena party and its allies a supermajority in the Chamber of Deputies. This decision allows the coalition to pass constitutional reforms without needing opposition support. The INE’s governing council voted to allocate 364 out of the 500 seats to the ruling coalition, despite the coalition securing less than 60% of the votes in the June elections. This gives the bloc a qualified majority of 334 votes, surpassing the two-thirds threshold required to amend the Mexican Constitution.
Critics argue that the INE’s decision violates the Constitution by allowing each party within the coalition to benefit from an 8% overrepresentation limit, rather than applying it to the coalition as a whole. This leads to an overall overrepresentation of about 18%, exceeding the constitutional limit, given the coalition’s combined vote share of around 54%. Controversy surrounds the interpretation of Article 54 of the Mexican Constitution, which limits overrepresentation in government. Critics point out that the INE inconsistently applied the term “political party” within the article.
INE counselor Claudia Zavala, who suggested an alternative proposal that was ultimately rejected, stated, “The allocation of seats proposed by this agreement does not objectively reflect the plurality expressed by citizens on June 2.”
Political analyst Héctor Aguilar Camín highlighted the potential repercussions of the INE’s decision, warning that it could give the government “practically dictatorial” power to amend the constitution without consulting other political factions. In response, the opposition announced its intent to challenge the INE’s ruling before the Electoral Tribunal of the Federal Judiciary (TEPJF).
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, however, has defended the allocation, asserting that it adheres to legal standards. “Whoever wants to ask the Electoral Institute or the Electoral Tribunal not to apply the law and the Constitution is very wrong. This is called the rule of law,” she stated.
The ruling coalition’s new supermajority raises concerns over the balance of power in Mexico’s legislative branch. With 364 seats, Morena and its allies can pass constitutional amendments without needing support from opposition parties. This shift carries significant implications for President López Obrador’s agenda, especially his controversial judicial reform proposals, which aim to introduce popular elections for judges and magistrates across all levels of the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court of Justice. Opponents argue that such a change could politicize the judicial branch and undermine its independence.
As Mexico gears up for a new legislative term starting in September, the impact of this decision on the country’s democratic institutions and the separation of powers continues to spark significant discussion and concern among legal experts, opposition parties, and civil society groups.