What can the global left learn from Mexico – where far-right politics hasn’t taken off? | Thomas Graham
In a remarkable turn of events for the 2024 election year, Mexico’s leftwing governing party, Morena, has not only retained the presidency but also secured a significant two-thirds supermajority in the chamber of deputies. This achievement comes despite a global trend that has seen incumbents facing grim prospects and far-right movements gaining traction in other countries. Morena, led by Claudia Sheinbaum—an ally of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador—captured an impressive 60% of the vote, marking a historic continuation of the party’s influence since López Obrador’s initial victory in 2018, where he garnered a record 55%. This electoral success has intrigued progressives worldwide, particularly as it highlights Morena’s focus on addressing Mexico’s stark inequality.
However, while Morena’s achievements are noteworthy, the party’s approach raises questions about its commitment to progressive ideals. Thomas Graham, a journalist based in Mexico City, emphasizes that Morena has effectively promoted social justice but has also diluted its principles with pragmatic governance strategies. This duality is evident in the party’s policies, which, while aimed at improving social equity, sometimes incorporate elements that may not align with traditional progressive values. For instance, the coalition’s strategies to address poverty and inequality have been successful, yet their methods and compromises have sparked debate over whether they truly represent a progressive agenda or merely a pragmatic response to political realities.
As the 2024 elections approach, the implications of Morena’s governance and electoral strategies will be closely monitored, both within Mexico and by international observers. The party’s ability to navigate the complexities of social justice while maintaining a broad coalition will be crucial in determining its future trajectory. The success of Morena serves as a case study for leftist movements globally, illustrating both the potential for electoral success through a focus on inequality and the challenges of staying true to progressive principles in a pragmatic political landscape.
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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