Mexico is a country with a rich and diverse political history, culture, and system. It has a multi-party system, which means that there are more than two dominant political parties. The main parties are the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), the National Action Party (PAN), and the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Other parties include the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), the Labor Party (PT), the Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM), and the Citizen’s Movement (MC).
In this blog post, we will provide a comprehensive guide to each of these parties, their ideologies, positions, leaders, and representation in the government. We will also explain how the electoral system works in Mexico and how you can participate in it as a citizen or a voter.
MORENA is a left-wing party that was founded in 2014 by Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who is also the current president of Mexico. MORENA stands for Movimiento Regeneración Nacional, which means National Regeneration Movement. The party’s main goals are to fight corruption, poverty, inequality, and violence in Mexico. It also supports social welfare programs, public education, health care, environmental protection, and human rights1.
MORENA is the largest party in Mexico, with 53.2% of the vote in the 2018 presidential election2. It also has a majority in both chambers of the Congress of the Union, with 128 out of 500 deputies and 69 out of 128 senators3. MORENA is part of a coalition called Juntos Haremos Historia (Together We Will Make History), which includes the PT and the PVEM.
PAN is a center-right to right-wing party that was founded in 1939 by Manuel Gómez Morín. PAN stands for Partido Acción Nacional, which means National Action Party. The party’s main values are liberal democracy, human dignity, social justice, and Christian ethics. It also supports free market economy, private property, rule of law, federalism, and secularism1.
PAN is the second largest party in Mexico, with 22.3% of the vote in the 2018 presidential election2. It also has 114 out of 500 deputies and 25 out of 128 senators in the Congress of the Union3. PAN is part of a coalition called Por México al Frente (For Mexico to the Front), which includes the PRD and the MC.
PRI is a center to center-right party that was founded in 1929 by Plutarco Elías Calles. PRI stands for Partido Revolucionario Institucional, which means Institutional Revolutionary Party. The party’s main ideology is constitutionalism, which means that it respects and defends the constitution of Mexico. It also claims to be a big tent party that represents different sectors and interests of Mexican society1.
PRI is the third largest party in Mexico, with 16.4% of the vote in the 2018 presidential election2. It also has 69 out of 500 deputies and 9 out of 128 senators in the Congress of the Union3. PRI is part of a coalition called Todos por México (Everyone for Mexico), which includes the PVEM and the New Alliance Party (PNA).
PRD is a center-left party that was founded in 1989 by Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas. PRD stands for Partido de la Revolución Democrática, which means Party of the Democratic Revolution. The party’s main ideology is social democracy, which means that it supports a mixed economy that combines public and private ownership, social welfare programs, and democratic participation. It also advocates for progressivism, civic nationalism, and human rights1.
PRD is the fourth largest party in Mexico, with 5.2% of the vote in the 2018 presidential election2. It also has 15 out of 500 deputies and 3 out of 128 senators in the Congress of the Union3. As mentioned before, PRD is part of the Por México al Frente coalition with PAN and MC.
PT is a left-wing party that was founded in 1990 by Alberto Anaya. PT stands for Partido del Trabajo, which means Labor Party. The party’s main ideology is democratic socialism, which means that it supports social ownership and democratic control of the means of production. It also supports labor rights, agrarian reform, anti-imperialism, and left-wing nationalism1.
PT is the fifth largest party in Mexico, with 2.9% of the vote in the 2018 presidential election2. It also has 33 out of 500 deputies and 6 out of 128 senators in the Congress of the Union3. As mentioned before, PT is part of the Juntos Haremos Historia coalition with MORENA and PVEM.
PVEM is a center to center-right party that was founded in 1986 by Jorge González Torres. PVEM stands for Partido Verde Ecologista de México, which means Ecologist Green Party of Mexico. The party’s main ideology is green politics, which means that it supports environmentalism, sustainable development, biodiversity, and animal rights. It also supports social conservatism, family values, and pro-life stance1.
PVEM is the sixth largest party in Mexico, with 2.4% of the vote in the 2018 presidential election2. It also has 11 out of 500 deputies and 7 out of 128 senators in the Congress of the Union3. As mentioned before, PVEM is part of both the Todos por México coalition with PRI and PNA and the Juntos Haremos Historia coalition with MORENA and PT.
MC is a center to center-left party that was founded in 1996 by Dante Delgado. MC stands for Movimiento Ciudadano, which means Citizen’s Movement. The party’s main ideology is social liberalism, which means that it supports individual freedom, civil rights, democracy, and social justice. It also supports federalism, transparency, anti-corruption, and citizen participation1.
MC is the seventh largest party in Mexico, with 1.8% of the vote in the 2018 presidential election2. It also has 25 out of 500 deputies and 0 out of 128 senators in the Congress of the Union3. As mentioned before, MC is part of the Por México al Frente coalition with PAN and PRD.
If you are a Mexican citizen who is at least 18 years old and has a valid voter ID card (credencial para votar), you can vote in Mexico’s elections. You can also vote if you are a Mexican citizen living abroad who has registered with the National Electoral Institute (INE) and has a voter ID card.
The electoral system in Mexico is based on universal, direct, secret, and free suffrage. This means that every citizen has the right to vote for their preferred candidates or parties without any interference or coercion.
There are two types of elections in Mexico: federal and local. Federal elections are held every six years to elect the president, senators, and deputies. Local elections are held every three years to elect governors, state legislators, mayors, and municipal councilors.
The president is elected by a simple majority of the popular vote. The senators are elected by a mixed system of direct and proportional representation. Each state elects three senators: two by simple majority and one by proportional representation. There are also 32 senators elected by proportional representation from a single national constituency. The deputies are also elected by a mixed system of direct and proportional representation. Each electoral district elects one deputy by simple majority. There are also 200 deputies elected by proportional representation from five regional constituencies.
To vote in Mexico, you need to go to your assigned polling station (casilla) on the election day, which is usually a Sunday. You need to present your voter ID card to the electoral officials (funcionarios de casilla), who will verify your identity and give you a ballot paper (boleta electoral). You then mark your ballot paper in a private booth (mampara) according to your preference. You then fold your ballot paper and deposit it in a ballot box (urna). You then receive an ink mark on your thumb (tinta indeleble) to prevent multiple voting.
We hope that this blog post has helped you understand Mexico’s political landscape and its political parties better. We also hope that you have learned how to vote in Mexico’s elections and exercise your democratic rights. Remember that your vote matters and can make a difference in shaping the future of your country.