| | |  News Around the Republic of Mexico | July 2009 
Leftist Party Reclaims Political Primacy in Mexico
 Agence France-Presse
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July 07, 2009
| | A man casts his vote in Mexico City, during the country's midterm congressional elections. Midterm elections in Mexico, which dealt a heavy blow to President Felipe Calderon's conservative ruling party, marked the resurgence of the leftist opposition that ruled the country for most of the last century. (AFP/Alfredo Estrella) | |
Mexico City – Midterm elections in Mexico, which dealt a heavy blow to President Felipe Calderon's conservative ruling party, marked the resurgence of the leftist opposition that ruled the country for most of the last century.
The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which held an ironclad grip on power in Mexico from 1929 until losing to Calderon's National Action Party (PAN) in 2000, now reclaims its historical role as the biggest bloc in the legislature after Sunday's vote, the party's leaders said.
"We have become the number one political force in the Chamber of Deputies and with our alliance with the Green party, not only will we be the main force, but we will have an absolute majority," said the party's jubilant chairwoman Beatriz Paredes, after results were released.
With almost all votes counted, Calderon's party was beaten into second place with 27.9 percent of the vote, compared to 36.6 percent for the left-wing PRI.
After Sunday's balloting, the PRI can count on 233 of 500 congressional seats, plus 22 Green Party seats - a sweeping legislative mandate.
Meanwhile, the leftist Democratic Revolutionary Party was running third with about 15 percent of the vote, results showed.
Paredes said the outcome of voting augurs well for the party's fortunes when presidential elections are held in three years' time.
"These results put us in a much better position" ahead of the 2012 election, Paredes told Mexican television, adding the outcome showed Mexico "is a country that wants new proposals and new solutions."
The election was a massive defeat for Calderon's PAN party, which lost its majority status in the legislature, and prompted the resignation of the party's top official.
"Today, I have decided to renounce my chairmanship of PAN," said party leader German Martinez.
For many analysts, the elections were seen as an acid test of Calderon's battle to combat the deadly drug wars that have claimed thousands of lives.
But Calderon renewed his convictions, saying late Sunday: "The role of the state in defense of security and in the fight against organized crime must be continued with firmness."
More than 10,000 people have died in suspected drug violence since Calderon launched a military crackdown on organized crime two and a half years ago.
But many Mexicans remain convinced that the drug gangs are influencing politicians.
The country is also still reeling from the global economic crisis and the swine flu outbreak earlier this year that scared away holiday-makers and millions of dollars in lucrative tourist receipts.
Investors however showed some nervousness about the resurgence of the left, with Mexico's stock market Monday losing 1.23 percent of its value.
Mexico is facing its worst economic crisis in 15 years, with its economy shrinking 8.2 percent in the first quarter and over half of the population living below the poverty line.
Sunday's balloting was to replace 500 seats in the lower Chamber of Deputies as well as six governorships and more than 500 mayors.
Although Sunday's vote went ahead without problems, turnout was only at 44 percent of the 77 million eligible voters. And 5.41 percent deliberately spoilt their ballots in a show of anger at the political parties. |
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