What can the global left learn from Mexico – where far-right politics hasn’t taken off? | Thomas Graham
In a detailed analysis of Mexico’s political landscape, journalist Thomas Graham highlights the significant achievements of the left-wing governing party, Morena, in the context of the upcoming 2024 elections. Despite a global trend where incumbents face grim prospects and far-right parties gain traction, Morena has bucked the odds by not only retaining the presidency but also securing a two-thirds supermajority in the Chamber of Deputies. This success is particularly notable given that the far-right opposition failed to field a candidate, underscoring Morena’s stronghold on Mexican politics. Graham points out that the party’s focus on addressing the country’s deep-rooted inequality has resonated with many, drawing the attention of progressives around the world who see Morena’s approach as a potential model for social justice.
However, the article also delves into the complexities of Morena’s governance, suggesting that while the party has made strides in promoting social justice, it has also diluted some of its core principles in favor of pragmatism. The party’s historical victory in 2018, led by Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who garnered an unprecedented 55% of the vote, paved the way for a more progressive agenda. This momentum continued with Claudia Sheinbaum, a close ally of López Obrador, who recently achieved an even more impressive 60% victory. Her win echoes the earlier successes of leftist leaders during Latin America’s “pink tide,” signaling a potential resurgence of progressive politics in the region. However, Graham cautions that Morena’s blend of progressive rhetoric and pragmatic governance may not be a blueprint that can be universally replicated, as it contains elements that some may view as less progressive. The article ultimately paints a nuanced picture of Morena’s achievements and challenges, inviting readers to consider the implications of its governance for the future of leftist politics in Mexico and beyond.
Thomas Graham, a journalist based in Mexico City, explains how the leftwing governing party, Morena, has promoted social justice but diluted principle with pragmatism
If you were to summarise the 2024 election year, you might say: grim for incumbents, good for the far right. Yet Mexico bucked both trends. Its governing party, Morena, not only retained the presidency but – along with its
partners
in the Sigamos Haciendo Historia coalition – gained a two-thirds supermajority in the chamber of deputies, the lower house, while the far right failed to even run a candidate. That a self-described leftwing party could have such success by fixing on Mexico’s chasmic inequality has drawn attention from hopeful progressives worldwide. But Morena’s programme has some not-so-progressive elements too. It is not necessarily one others could – or would want to – copy in its entirety.
Morena first notched a historic result in 2018, when Andrés Manuel López Obrador, an old face of the left who ran for president twice before founding the party, won a record 55% of the vote during the general elections. Mexico’s constitution limits presidents to a single term. But this time, Claudia Sheinbaum, a close ally of López Obrador’s,
won 60%
of the vote. Her victory was reminiscent of the heyday of Latin America’s “pink tide”, when leftist leaders like Hugo Chávez and Evo Morales were reelected for a second term with more votes than their initial victories.
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