Mexico's Congress Rejects President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's Constitutional Bill to Overhaul Electoral System

Congress rejected on Tuesday President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's constitutional bill to overhaul the election system in Mexico. The president's opponents contended that the bill threatened democracy in the country.

Wall Street Journal reported that the House of Representatives voted 269-225 on Lopez Obrador's bill, failing to meet the two-thirds majority needed to make constitutional changes. All four opposition parties voted no on the measure, while Lopez Obrador's Morena Party and two smaller allies supported it.

Thousands of Mexicans marched against the bill on November 13 in cities around the country, firmly establishing legislative opposition to the bill. Two weeks later, Lopez Obrador arranged another big demonstration in the capital in support of his proposal.

The results of Tuesday's vote show how difficult it will be for Lopez Obrador to carry out the change he promised when he took office in 2018. It also amounts to a win for Mexico's disorganized opposition, which has struggled to unify ahead of the 2024 elections.

The president needs the backing of the opposition to change the country's constitution, regardless of how popular he is, and enjoys a majority in both houses of Congress.

This is the second major legislative setback for the president this year as Congress rejected Lopez Obrador's proposed constitutional amendments to increase state control of power generation in April.

Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's Bill to Overhaul the Country's Electoral Regulator

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's said the proposed legislation would lower the cost of elections as it would downsize the National Electoral Institute or INE, and the federal government will have greater control over the agency's budget, Bloomberg reported.

The bill also sought to replace INE, the autonomous agency in charge of organizing elections, with a new electoral agency. The new agency's board members will be elected by popular vote from a list of candidates picked by the president, the Supreme Court, and Congress.

Reports said this new agency would no longer lead in drawing up the voter rolls, among other changes. In opposing the bill, the opponents noted that the plan would give Lopez Obrador's government control over the INE.

They added that given that the Morena party currently controls the president and Congress, electoral officials could be stacked with Lopez Obrador's party members or loyalists, making elections biased in favor of the ruling party.

Expecting his defeat, Lopez Obrador sent a more limited bill on Tuesday to overhaul electoral laws, which only requires a simple majority, so it is expected to pass. The opposition vowed to challenge it before the Supreme Court once it affects the electoral authorities' independence.

Massive Pro-Government March in Mexico City, Led by President Manuel Lopez Obrador

Late last month, thousands of people demonstrated in Mexico City to support Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who had previously organized some of the largest protests in the nation.

The "people's march" was in response to a sizable opposition protest two weeks prior against the president's proposal to alter the nation's electoral system. It also marked the leftist president's fourth year in power.

The president led a march through the heart of Mexico City that featured mariachi music, singing, and a celebratory mood. Bus travels arranged by the Morena party, unions, and social organizations brought many participants from different Mexican areas.

In a speech delivered following the march, Lopez Obrador reiterated his themes of supporting the underprivileged and against oligarchy: "Effective suffrage, effective democracy, and no to re-election."

According to Associated Press, the president claimed he had not invested "a penny" of the federal money into the march, despite the opposition's claims that many participants were coerced into going. Protesters also claimed they came voluntarily.

Since it is against the law for a president of Mexico to serve more than two terms in office, Lopez Obrador has said he will not try to change the constitution to do so. However, he hopes that his Morena Party will remain in power after he leaves office.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Mexico's President Lopez Obrador Leads Supporters in March Through Capital - From WION