Senate Names Oct. 1 as Federal Transition Holiday

In a unanimous vote of 117 in favor, the Mexican Senate has approved a measure designating Oct. 1, 2024, as a mandatory holiday. The holiday will be observed every six years in recognition of the federal executive transition. This decision aligns the Federal Labor Law with a 2014 constitutional reform, which moved the presidential inauguration date from Dec. 1 to Oct.  1.

MORENA Senator Alfonso Cepeda highlighted the need to update the legal framework to reflect the new transition timeline, as reported by Canal del Congreso. Until 2018, the presidential inauguration took place on Dec. 1, but the 2014 reform shifted it to Oct.  1. 

PT Senator Geovanna Bañuelos underscored that the 2014 reform aimed to shorten the transition period between presidential elections and the new president’s assumption of office. She also pointed out that the right to rest is recognized in Article 24 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Claudia Sheinbaum made history on June 2, 2024, by becoming the first woman elected as President of Mexico. Sheinbaum, the candidate for the ruling party MORENA, triumphed over her opponents Xóchitl Gálvez and Jorge Álvarez Maynez, as reported by MBN.

Oct. 1, 2024, will mark the inauguration of Mexico’s first female president, reflecting a significant milestone in global female leadership, says PRI Senator Cynthia López. López also called for a constitutional amendment to Article 83 and suggested shortening transition periods to address critical issues such as security and economic matters more efficiently.

While Sheinbaum is expected to continue the legacy of her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, in her victory speech, Sheinbaum emphasized her administration's commitment to a different, more technocratic approach. "Even though many Mexicans do not fully agree with our project, we will have to walk in peace and harmony to continue building a fair and more prosperous Mexico," she said.