Free Elections Mexican President-elect Enrique Peña Nieto's party fell short of an absolute majority in Congress. |
Freedom Questioned - Mexican Leftist Lopez Obrador refuses to accept the results of free elections.
- Just as in the 2006 elections, Leftists refuse to accept election results.
- Mexico has evolved into a true multi-party Republic.
- Mexican elections are more free than those held in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York or in most American Congressional districts.
Just like he did in 2006, the runner-up in Mexico's
presidential election, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has filed a legal challenge
to the result of the July 1st vote. If he and his Socialist Fellow Travelers can't win then demand new elections.
He said he would prove that "illicit" money was used to buy votes and secure the victory of centrist candidate Enrique Pena Nieto, who denies this. Lopez Obrador wants the result of the vote to be deemed invalid.
Pena Nieto was confirmed the winner on Friday after a final recount, with 38.21% to Lopez Obrador's 31.59%.
Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, the head of Pena Nieto's Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), dismissed Lopez Obrador's accusations as "baseless". He also described the PRD candidate as a "sore loser". (BBC News)
The Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, and its tiny ally, the Green Party, will have 240 seats in a 500-member lower house of Congress, the Federal Electoral Institute said, based on the final vote count. The alliance will have 61 seats in the 128-member Senate
Although initial signs pointed to an almost three way split in both chambers, as the remaining votes were counted the PRI party and its allies came close to achieving a majority. This suggests that it will be much easier for the PRI to achieve legislative progress, either by negotiating a simple majority, or by working with the PAN to secure two thirds of the votes in both houses, essential for constitutional reform.
The PRI has already called on outgoing President Calderón to make progress in reforming the areas of energy, labor, and state finances before he leaves office in December. This strongly suggests that the PRI and the PAN are ready to work together towards reform.
The prospects for constitutional reform are quite encouraging given the fact that in the Chamber of Deputies, an alliance between the PRI, PVEM, PANAL and PAN would deliver 72 percent of the votes, while in the Senate, the same alliance would ensure 77 percent support. It is unlikely that the PAN will deliver its votes without something in return (perhaps with regards to fiscal reforms) and this will require intense negotiation between the two parties.
Gone are the days of a one-party dictatorship in Mexico. |
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