The Chamber of Deputies rejected President Claudia Sheinbaum's electoral reform on March 11, 2026, failing to reach the required qualified majority. With 259 votes in favor and 234 against, the initiative was defeated due to opposition from allies like PT and PVEM. Ricardo Monreal from Morena announced that the party will prepare a 'Plan B' to advance it.
The session in the Chamber of Deputies, held at San Lázaro, ended with the rejection of the electoral reform presented by the federal executive. The proposal aimed to amend 11 articles of the Constitution, including the elimination of the 32 plurinominal senators and changes to the election of 200 deputies from lost districts plus 100 by direct vote in five regional circumscriptions, incorporating Mexicans abroad. It also proposed a 25% reduction in funding for political parties and the INE, along with increased oversight to prevent narco-trafficking funds.
For approval, it required the support of two-thirds of those present, or at least 334 votes out of 500 deputies. However, it received only 259 in favor, 234 against, and one abstention. PT and PVEM, Morena's allies, largely voted against due to disagreements on aspects like plurinominal elections and changes to the Preliminary Electoral Results Program (PREP).
Ricardo Monreal Ávila, Morena's coordinator, addressed the plenary: “We know the fate this reform may have, but we announce that once rejected, we will begin building the Plan B for the electoral reform.” He acknowledged Congress's pluralism and respected all groups' positions, stating: “Every vote is legitimate, every decision is sovereign.”
PVEM Senator Luis Armando Melgar warned about the 'Plan B': “If they try to surprise us in secondary laws with modifications that go beyond the Constitution [...], have no doubt that we will vote against under protest.” He recalled that in 2022, the Supreme Court invalidated similar reforms for violating the Constitution.
President Sheinbaum, in her March 10 conference, avoided calling for unity: “Each one decides. More than 80 percent of Mexicans agree that proportional representation deputies should be elected directly by the people.” She stated she fulfilled her campaign promise by presenting the initiative for a less costly electoral system.
Opponents like PRI's Rubén Moreira criticized the reform for allegedly seeking 'low-quality' elections, while Movimiento Ciudadano proposed alternatives like migrant circumscriptions. The rejection marks a setback for Morena, which now explores paths like secondary laws requiring only a simple majority.
