Mexico’s Ruling Bloc Confirms Supermajority in House, Falls Short in Senate – Reuters

By Diego Oré

MEXICO CITY – Mexico’s electoral authority announced on Friday that the ruling party, Morena, along with its allies, will maintain a two-thirds supermajority in the lower house of Congress, but will fall short of a supermajority in the Senate when the new legislative term commences in September.

The National Electoral Institute (INE) determined that Morena and its allies secured 364 seats in the lower house, exceeding the 334 votes required for constitutional amendments without needing opposition support.

In the Senate, the ruling coalition will hold 83 out of 128 seats, just below the two-thirds majority of 85.

Mario Delgado, leader of the Morena party, emphasized on social media that the INE’s decision reflects the will of the people. He promised to continue the Fourth Transformation political initiative, which was initiated by the current president.

The official confirmation of the election results from June 2 comes despite opposition concerns about the ruling coalition’s seat count. Those complaints were founded on an interpretation of the electoral rules that prioritize party representation over coalition representation.

During a lengthy debate, INE’s presiding counselor, Guadalupe Taddei, stated, "The INE neither gives nor takes away congressional or senatorial seats. Only the citizens can do this with their vote." She stressed that the institute’s actions demonstrate its commitment to democracy and to the will expressed at the polls.

The Morena party plans to advance the first phase of constitutional reforms proposed by outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, starting September 1. Among these reforms is a contentious change to the judiciary which would allow judges and magistrates to be elected by popular vote, a proposal that has raised concerns in financial markets.

Additional amendments aim to eliminate independent regulatory bodies and change how electoral officials are chosen, proposing that they be elected by popular vote while also advocating for the removal of plurinominal deputies.

These legislative changes are anticipated before October 1, when Claudia Sheinbaum is set to take office as Mexico’s first female president.