Mexico Senate Pauses Electoral Reform Discussion Over Disagreements

The legislator indicated that this point became one of the main obstacles to advancing the 'Plan B' of electoral reform, submitted to the Senate last week. Ignacio Mier detailed that the central problem lies in the current wording potentially obliging changes to the integration of town councils in states that currently have fewer councilors, which would clash with the principles of austerity and administrative rationality. He explained that several entities have their own definitions in their constitutions and municipal laws regarding the number of members of the cabildos, so a general modification could affect their internal regime. 'To not contravene federalism, what is being done is a review of the transitional clause to specify the meaning of the law in the integration of the number up to 15, but ensuring that where there are fewer, it does not cause an increase,' he stated. The Morena senator added that the analysis contemplates the particularities of the 31 federal entities, with the aim of preventing the reform from imposing automatic changes to the composition of municipal governments. The parliamentary leader pointed out that the solution lies in modifying the transitional regime of the initiative, so that the increase in councilors is not mandatory in those municipalities that operate with more reduced structures. Senate pauses discussion of 'Plan B' of electoral reform to listen to the INE. In a press conference, the president of the Senate's Constitutional Points Commission, Óscar Cantón Zetina, informed that the discussion of the 'Plan B' of electoral reform has been temporarily halted to integrate technical and political observations into the project. Senator Óscar Cantón Zetina explained that the deliberations were postponed to incorporate the comments from the National Electoral Institute (INE), whose counselors requested to present their observations on the initiative. 'We delayed these deliberations of the drafting committees to listen to the voice of the National Electoral Institute... they sent us in writing those concerns they have about this initiative,' he indicated. The senator specified that, given this scenario, the extraordinary session scheduled for this Monday, March 23, was canceled while waiting to conclude the draft. 'The session that was called for today at six in the afternoon will not take place... as soon as the draft is finished, we would convene a new meeting,' he added. When could 'Plan B' of electoral reform be approved? Óscar Cantón Zetina indicated that there is still no defined date for the approval of the draft, as the calendar depends on the conclusion of the technical work. The Morena senator, Ignacio Mier Velazco, acknowledged that the 'Plan B' of electoral reform is stalled due to differences over the number of councilors in town councils. The Morena coordinator in the Upper House pointed out that this point of the electoral reform could contravene the principle of austerity if the wording of the draft is not adjusted. The Morena coordinator explained that the proposal establishes a range of between 7 and 15 councilors, which, due to constitutional rigidity, would allow municipalities with fewer members to increase their number. 'The issue is that if you set it from 7 to 15 councilors, due to constitutional rigidity, any municipality with fewer than seven can aspire to increase,' he stated. The senator explained that there is a possibility of doing it this week and, if not, it will be done at a later time... it is not yet defined,' he noted. The senator explained that the ordinary session period concludes at the end of April, so the reform could be approved in that month or even after Holy Week. The Morena legislator added that in case of a delay, there is a legal margin until May 30 to finalize the changes and allow their application in the 2027 electoral process. President Claudia Sheinbaum's new proposal has mired the Senate in a swampy situation.