Low turnout and protests: little interest in ‘historical’ elections in Mexico

Mexicans were able to vote on Sunday at nearly 2,700 legal positions, from supreme judges, and federal judges to subdistrict court judges. It was the first time that Mexico held these elections and it also caused a unique worldwide: there is no country in the world that lets all judges choose directly by the people.

Although it will take until 10 June before all the votes are counted and the result is known, one conclusion could be drawn at the end of the election day: Mexicans were not at all excited about what the government called « historical elections ». The most optimistic estimates assumed a turnout of 20 percent, although some polls mentioned a turnout percentage of 8 percent.

Even before the elections took place, experts predicted that few Mexicans would take the trouble to come to the polling stations. Firstly because of the overwhelming number of positions on which Mexicans had to vote. For example, voters in Mexico City had to vote for nine positions, six for the federal elections and three for local judges. In addition, they often had to vote for them often unknown candidates who have been in little campaign in recent times. The fact that the government was not bothering much in informing the population about the background of these elections did not help either.

‘Real democracy’

President Claudia Sheinbaum, who, as a successor to former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, had to implement his radical legal reform, was enthusiastic about the elections on Sunday. « In Mexico we all have the same rights and we all choose the three powers. Every voice has the same amount: that is real democracy, » said Sheinbaum. « Mexico is a country that becomes freer, fairer and more democratic every day, thanks to the will of the people. »

The Pan, one of the opposition parties in Mexico, repeated their earlier call on Sunday to boycott these elections, because they fear that the outcome will only benefit Morena. For example, it was committees dominated by Morena that decided which candidates were allowed to participate in the judicial elections.

Civil servants of the Mexican Legal System, Civil society organizations and delivered citizens also demonstrated on Sunday against the elections and the impact they fear that the reform will have on Mexican democracy. In addition to a growing influence of Morena through government -minded judges, they fear that organized crime, which invariably puts their own candidates forward in local elections, also get a stronger foot on the legal system.

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