Politics Mexico's Senate approves direct election of judges
After a heated debate and a session lasting more than 13 hours, the Mexican Senate has passed a controversial judicial reform. The constitutional amendment, which allows all federal judges to be directly elected by the citizens, was passed by the ruling party Morena with 86 votes in favor and 41 against.
11.09.2024, 11:31
SDA
Some senators from the opposition switched to the pro camp in order to secure the required majority.
President López Obrador, whose six-year term ends on September 30, accuses the judiciary of being corrupt and serving economic and criminal interests.
Fears for the democratic counterweights
Critics of the reform fear a stronger influence of politics and organized crime on the judiciary as a result of the election of judges. The requirements for holding the office of judge will also be less stringent than before.
The planned selection procedure for judges is particularly controversial. The head of state and parliament - both currently in the hands of the governing party - and the Supreme Court will nominate candidates in equal numbers.
The outgoing President Obrador is very popular in Mexico and his party already controls the executive and legislative branches. The next president, his political foster daughter Claudia Sheinbaum, supports the reform.
In protest, around 1,700 federal judges in the Latin American country have been on indefinite strike for almost three weeks. Thousands of judicial employees have also stopped work. The Supreme Court and the federal courts are currently only dealing with urgent cases.
Ratification in the federal states
Before the Senate, the MPs had already approved the draft. Now at least 17 of the 32 parliaments in the federal states must ratify the reform, which is considered certain. According to the new rules, all federal judgeships are to be filled between 2025 and 2027 - including those on the Supreme Court.
