Mexico’s Historic Election of Judges Faces Low Voter Turnout
Mexico held its first popular vote for judges with only 13% voter turnout. President Claudia Sheinbaum hailed this a success despite criticisms from opposition parties regarding the risks of politicization and influence from criminal organizations. Reform in the judiciary also includes reducing Supreme Court justices and creating an oversight tribunal. Results are expected in about ten days.
The recent election of judges in Mexico has sparked both interest and concern as it marked a significant shift in the way judicial appointments are made, allowing citizens to vote. However, the turnout was disappointingly low at only 13 percent of eligible voters on June 1, despite high hopes from government officials. President Claudia Sheinbaum proudly declared it a success, emphasizing that nearly 13 million Mexicans participated in this historic moment. She spoke confidently about democracy in Mexico, even calling it the “most democratic country in the world.”
While Mexico is pioneering this method with universal suffrage for all 2,681 courts in a nation of 130 million, it is not the first to elect judges through popular vote. In fact, the U.S. and Switzerland do this in certain districts, while Bolivia has a similar system for its judicial leaders. Yet, the recent election significantly involved around 8,000 candidates, many of whom lost visibility among voters, who faced the challenge of managing six colored ballots for different judicial levels. This complexity could be a factor in the turnout falling short of initial forecasts, which expected at least a 15 percent participation rate.
The initiative to elect judges came about under the previous administration of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, under whom Sheinbaum served. They both belong to the center-left party Morena, which controls Congress. Lopez Obrador, now out of public office, made a return to cast his vote, expressing happiness to witness a free democracy.
Despite the enthusiasm from government leaders, concerns from opposition parties and various human rights organizations loom large. Critics of the popular vote mechanism caution that it may lead to politicization, resulting in people being elected based on fame rather than qualifications. Alarmingly, they also pointed out that criminal organizations, which have a stronghold in some regions, could infiltrate the judiciary.
The ruling party argues that this new electoral approach could provide benefits such as tackling judicial corruption and addressing the staggering impunity rates affecting up to 90 percent of reported crimes in certain areas. The counting of votes, which is expected to take about ten days, will not take place at polling stations but rather at centers managed by the National Electoral Institute. This counting will prioritize the Supreme Court justices, followed by district and municipal judges.
In conjunction with this electoral reform, Congress has approved a decrease in the number of Supreme Court justices from 11 to 9, alongside a shift in their term lengths from 15 to 12 years. Of the current justices, only three aligned with the ruling party chose to run for election, while the eight others resigned in opposition due to concerns that the reforms undermine judicial independence. Furthermore, a newly established Disciplinary Tribunal, composed of five members, is tasked with overseeing judges and has the power to impose sanctions. There will also be future elections slated for another 1,000 judicial positions anticipated in 2027.
Mexico’s election of judges by popular vote reflects a bold move towards democratization of the judiciary. However, the pushback from critics raises valid concerns about implications for judicial integrity and the potential for criminal influence. With results pending and new reforms in place, the future landscape of Mexico’s judicial system is both intriguing and uncertain.
Original Source: havanatimes.org
