What can the global left learn from Mexico – where far-right politics hasn’t taken off? | Thomas Graham
In a recent analysis, journalist Thomas Graham sheds light on the remarkable electoral success of Mexico’s governing party, Morena, in the context of the 2024 election year. While many incumbents globally are facing grim prospects, Morena not only retained the presidency but also secured a two-thirds supermajority in the chamber of deputies, thanks to the backing of its coalition partners in Sigamos Haciendo Historia. This achievement stands out particularly because the far-right opposition failed to field a candidate, which is a stark contrast to trends seen in other nations where right-wing populism is on the rise. This success has drawn the attention of progressive movements worldwide, eager to understand how a self-identified leftist party can thrive in an era often dominated by conservative ideologies.
Morena’s journey began in 2018 when Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a veteran of leftist politics, won a historic 55% of the vote in the presidential election. His successor, Claudia Sheinbaum, has built on this momentum, achieving an even more impressive 60% victory in the most recent elections. This outcome echoes the earlier successes of Latin America’s “pink tide,” where leftist leaders enjoyed significant electoral support during their terms. However, Graham points out that while Morena has made strides in addressing Mexico’s deep-seated inequality through social justice initiatives, it has also diluted some of its core principles in favor of pragmatism. This blend of progressive policies with more centrist tactics raises questions about the sustainability and replicability of Morena’s approach for other leftist movements globally. As the political landscape shifts, the implications of Morena’s success and its evolving policy stance will be closely watched by both supporters and critics alike.
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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