Morena Party's Controversial Judicial Reform Plan

Mexico's ruling Morena party proposes electing all Supreme Court justices through a popular vote in June 2025 as part of a contentious judicial reform. The reform also entails electing half of all magistrates and other judicial positions. President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum supports this proposal, despite market concerns.

Mexico's ruling Morena party aims to elect all Supreme Court justices through a popular vote in June 2025, according to the party's leader in the lower house of Congress on Friday. This move is part of a controversial judicial reform set for discussion next month.

In addition, half of all magistrates and other open judicial positions will also be elected, Morena lawmaker Ignacio Mier announced. The remainder will be elected through another vote in 2027.

President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, who will take office in October, supports outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's judicial reform proposal, agreeing that judges should be elected. However, this reform has unsettled markets and worried investors, who fear it could undermine Mexico's checks and balances.

Last week, Reuters reported on Morena's consideration of changes to the planned judicial reform to assuage market fears, including making the election process staggered over several years to mitigate concerns of a political takeover of the judiciary. 'It will be staggered. There will be an extraordinary election in 2025, followed by another ordinary election concurrent with the federal election in 2027,' Mier elaborated on Friday.

Mier mentioned that the proposal has already been modified over 100 times.

(With inputs from agencies.)