ASSESSMENTS

Why More Democracy Might Mean More Disruption in Mexico

Jul 25, 2018 | 09:00 GMT

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is Mexico's president-elect. He's pictured here during a June 27, 2018, campaign event in Mexico City.

Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, shown here during a June 27, 2018, campaign rally in Mexico City, wants to amend Mexico's constitution to expand and strengthen voters' ability to set policy through referendums. If fulfilled, Lopez Obrador's change could have unintended consequences.

(MANUEL VELASQUEZ/Getty Images)

Highlights

  • Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will pursue plans to amend the country's laws to facilitate more legally binding referendums.
  • If Lopez Obrador's reforms pass Congress, they could eliminate prohibitions on referendum topics or change the law so that such votes can be held outside of federal election years.
  • The prospect of more legally binding referendums will add more uncertainty to Mexico's political process, as key areas such as public spending and security policies could go before the public if the planned reforms are approved.

Mexico witnessed radical change in its elections at the beginning of this month, and it appears the prospects for profound transformation are only likely to grow. After riding a populist wave of support to victory on July 1, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador released a list of priorities for Mexico's Congress -- which his coalition will also dominate -- when newly elected lawmakers assume their seats on Dec. 1. Amid the raft of anti-corruption proposals is one item that could prove crucial: the elimination of restrictions on referendums, together with a related constitutional amendment to make such votes legally binding. Though the proposal is brief and buried within the incoming president's lengthy to-do list, the manner in which Lopez Obrador goes about expanding and amending Mexicans' right to vote in referendums could have wide-ranging and unintended consequences -- not least for politicians, the private sector and foreign investors....

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