Senate receives initiative to prohibit continuous re -election and nepotism

Andrea Becerril and Alma Muñoz

La Jornada newspaper
Saturday, February 8, 2025, p. 8

Prohibit the continuous re -election of federal and local legislators, mayors, councilors, trustees and councilors, as well as preventing electoral nepotism, are central axes of the constitutional reform initiative that Claudia Sheinbaum sent to the Senate yesterday and was immediately turned to the commissions of Constitutional points and legislative studies.

In the morning there was confusion since very early the coordinator of the deputies of Morena, Ricardo Monreal, went up to networks that the proposal had been received in San Lázaro, but at noon the president of the Senate, Gerardo Fernández Noroña, said that the turn was For the camera he heads, that he still did not arrive, but they were waiting for her later, as finally happened.

The Executive project highlights that the proposal returns to the antirelectionist spirit that gave life to the Constitution of 1917, in addition to prohibiting nepotism practices in electoral matters.

In the reasons it is highlighted that the principle of non -re -election has been essential in the struggle to curb the concentration of power and the perpetuation of decision -making in the hands of a political elite. Besides, The 1933 reforms that extended the prohibition of re -election to legislators were also a transcendental advance to promote the renewal of public offices.

Until a decade, the prohibition of consecutive re -election allowed a constant renewal of the cadres of national public life. However, during the neoliberal period he took a step back in this fightsince in 2014 the consecutive re -election for certain public office was incorporated into the Constitution ”, including federal and local legislators.

The argument, he added, was that Accountability would be favored and motivated to those who occupy those positions to respond to the needs of the electorate.

Unfortunately, he adds, in practice that purpose was not achieved and additionally The possibility of consecutive re -election has direct implications on equity in electoral processesbecause those who seek a new immediate period have considerable advantages in the elections against the people who intend to hold the position for the first time. ”

The other part of the proposal is the prohibition of electoral nepotism, to ensure that they access public positions who have the merits, skills, abilities and experiences required to occupy it and not for family links. Therefore, it is established as a requirement of suitability for those who intend to contend for a position of popular election, that they do not have or have had in the last three years prior to the day of the election a marriage bond, concubinage, relationship of a couple or kinship by consanguinity or civil in a straight line without grade limitation and in collateral line to the fourth grade or affinity to the second degree with the person who occupies the position they aspire to.

The president of the Senate, Gerardo Fernández Noroña clarified that the reform does not propose the elimination of multinominal legislators.