| | |  News Around the Republic of Mexico 
Leftists Present Reform Ideas
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February 20, 2010
| | (The News) | |
Mexico City – Left-of-center political parties submitted a bill that counters some of President Felipe Calderón’s proposals for political reforms.
After several weeks of meetings and negotiations, senators from the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), Labor Party (PT) and Convergence Party announced their rejection of Calderón’s proposal to reduce the number of lawmakers in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies. The opposition proposal also calls for the stripping of certain powers of the president, governors, mayors and borough chiefs.
These include: the elimination of the “secret fund” (a large, non-auditable presidential fund); mandatory congressional ratification of all executive cabinet appointees; the ability of independent candidates to run for office; rights for citizens to propose referendums; extending priority bills to parliamentary groups in Congress; and allowing for votes of non-confidence.
The initiative from the Dialogue to Reconstruct Mexico (DIA) alliance validates the power of presidential veto, but suggests some changes so that budget matters are more agile and free from red tape.
It also proposes that the number of seats in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate remains intact, with 500 and 128 members, respectively. Calderón had proposed slashing the number of seats to 400 and 96.
Additionally, leftists are rejecting Calderón’s proposal to raise the threshold for political parties to maintain registration to 4 percent of votes.
Under the DIA’s proposal, fiscal, budget and foreign defense issues would not be allowed to be submitted to a citizen’s reform, but constitutional reforms would be.
For its part, National Action Party (PAN) senators said Thursday that they wish to pass laws permitting run-off elections, in order to make sure 2012’s presidential election results are clear of any doubts.
Martha Sosa and Jesús Dueñas said that run-offs would leave political parties satisfied with results.
“After all, a political reform should include a reduction in the sizes of chambers, mainly regarding proportionally-elected candidates, both in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies,” Sosa said.
She added that the conservative bloc supports Calderón’s proposals and citizens’ demands. These, she said, would include independent candidates, referendums and more attention to public opinion.
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