INE Reviews Electoral Reform; Faces Opposition From Major Parties

President Claudia Sheinbaum’s electoral reform proposal seeks to reduce election costs, restructure congressional representation, expand voting for citizens abroad, regulate AI in campaigns, and eliminate proportional representation in the Senate. Key political stakeholders, including the Green Party, Labor Party, and PRI, have expressed opposition, citing concerns over reduced INE funding, elimination of the PREP, risks to political pluralism, and potential consolidation of power for MORENA. INE emphasized the need for technical analysis to assess institutional, financial, and operational impacts while maintaining transparency, timely results, and democratic safeguards in the electoral system.

In a press release, the INE stated it will review the components of the constitutional electoral reform initiative presented by President Claudia Sheinbaum. INE officials emphasized that a thorough technical and operational analysis will only be possible once the full text of the initiative, including the specific constitutional articles and transitional provisions, is available.

As the autonomous body responsible for organizing federal elections and coordinating the National Electoral System, INE offered its more than three decades of technical, operational, and administrative expertise to Congress to support an informed evaluation of the proposed reforms.

INE stressed that its role in the reform process is strictly technical, respecting Congress’ constitutional authority while ensuring adherence to the principles of legality, impartiality, objectivity, independence, transparency, and gender parity. The institute reaffirmed its commitment to the Mexican public and to strengthening the country’s democratic system through ongoing technical guidance and operational support for electoral processes.

Last week, INE President Guadalupe Taddei Zavala raised concerns over the potential elimination of Permanent District Boards and the Preliminary Electoral Results Program (PREP). She highlighted the importance of these mechanisms in providing timely electoral information, stating, “What cannot happen is that Mexico does not have information on election day.” Taddei noted that the PREP, Rapid Count, and official vote count are three instruments that have historically enabled INE to deliver prompt election results, and any changes would require a replacement system to maintain public access to timely electoral data.

Electoral Reform

Last week, Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez outlined the 10 core elements of the initiative, which will be sent to Congress.

The main points of the proposal are:

• Representation in the Chamber of Deputies: The Chamber of Deputies would keep 500 seats, with 300 filled through majority vote and 200 through proportional representation. Among the proportional seats, 97 would be assigned to the highest-performing losing candidates, 95 would be chosen by direct vote from regional lists, and eight would represent Mexican citizens living abroad. The proportional representation mechanism would be eliminated in the Senate, reducing the number of senators from 128 to 96.
   

• Reduction in election costs: The reform proposes a 25% cut in the cost of elections, implying adjustments to funding for the INE and political parties.
   

• Strengthened financial oversight: INE would gain greater access to the financial operations of political parties.
   

• Voting from abroad: Mexicans living abroad would be allowed to elect eight federal deputies.
   

• Airtime on radio and television: Political parties’ time during electoral periods would be reduced from 48 minutes to 35 minutes.
   

• Regulation of artificial intelligence: The use of AI in electoral processes would be regulated and manipulation through bots and similar mechanisms on social media would be prohibited.
   

• District-level vote counts: District counts would begin immediately after polls close, eliminating the Preliminary Electoral Results Program, or PREP, and generating official preliminary results directly.
   

• Expansion of participatory democracy: Mechanisms for citizen involvement in electoral processes would be broadened.
   

• Prohibition of nepotism: Nepotism would be banned at all levels of government.
   

• Ban on immediate reelection: Immediate reelection for all public offices would be prohibited starting in 2030.
   

The electoral reform, originally scheduled for an earlier announcement, was delayed due to a lack of consensus among MORENA’s allies, the Green Party (PVEM), and the Labor Party (PT). The Green Party opposed the reform, highlighting the proposed 25% reduction in funding for political parties, INE, and INE officials’ salaries, as well as the elimination of the PREP. PVEM electoral coordinator Arturo Escobar stated that if the initiative is presented as outlined, approval would be “very complicated.”

The Labor Party also announced it will not support Sheinbaum’s upcoming reform, arguing that it could pave the way for a “state party” and threaten Mexico’s political pluralism. PT legislators warned that the reform risks undermining the multi-party system.

PRI directly opposed the reform, with Senate coordinator Manuel Añorve stating that the proposal is a “populist lie” and accused the ruling party of seeking overrepresentation in Congress by eliminating plurinominal senators and proportional representation lists for deputies. Añorve confirmed that PRI senators will vote against Sheinbaum’s reform.

Sheinbaum rejected claims that the reform is intended to favor Morena as a “party of the state,” stressing that all political parties must actively compete for votes rather than rely on plurinominal allocations. She emphasized that the proposal aims to reduce the cost of elections for citizens while ensuring transparency and accountability in campaign financing.