President Claudia Sheinbaum sent her electoral reform initiative to the Chamber of Deputies on March 4, 2026, dubbed the 'Decalogue for Democracy', aiming to amend 11 constitutional articles to cut costs and enhance oversight. The proposal faces resistance from allies like the PT and opposition, who criticize it for inadequately addressing organized crime influence. Sheinbaum mentioned having a 'Plan B' if it fails to pass.
President Claudia Sheinbaum's electoral reform initiative arrived at the Chamber of Deputies on March 4, 2026, following delays from its original planned delivery on March 2. Dubbed the 'Decalogue for Democracy', it proposes changes to financing, proportional representation, and technology regulation in campaigns, aimed at the 2027 elections.
Key points include a 25% cut in public financing to parties, the INE, and electoral bodies, prohibiting foreign and cash contributions, and requiring daily reports on financial operations, including cryptocurrencies and virtual assets. The reform explicitly bans the use of resources from illicit activities, such as drug trafficking, and mandates labeling of AI-generated content to combat disinformation.
Opposition has sharply criticized the proposal. Ricardo Anaya, PAN coordinator in the Senate, stated: “Morena does not want to break its ties... they want to keep the door open for support in their campaigns.” He deemed the mention of coordination with security authorities insufficient and demanded loss of registration for parties with illicit financing. PRI's Manuel Añorve called it a “Maduro Law” to control elections.
Even within the ruling coalition, there are doubts: the PT rejected the initiative, arguing it promotes a “return to the old state party,” while the PVEM supports 95% but questions the method for plurinominals. Movimiento Ciudadano plans to present its own proposal, prioritizing shielding elections from organized crime, according to Alejandra Barrales.
Kenia López Rabadán, president of the Board of Directors, said the document will go to the Constitutional Points Commission and requires a qualified two-thirds majority to pass. Sheinbaum confirmed having a 'Plan B' against potential blocks, though she did not detail its content.
