Mexico Government Profile 2008

Overview of Mexican Political Structure

Sep 15, 2008

Mexico is a federal republic with thirty one states. The government is divided into an executive branch, a bicameral legislative branch, and a judicial branch.

Mexico gained its independence from Spain on September 16th 1810, and was recognized as a sovereign nation on September 27th, 1821. One hundred years of political instability led to a civil war and in 1917 the Mexican nation drafted its first constitution.

States

Mexico is comprised of thirty-one states. Each state holds its own democratic elections for governor.

Executive Branch

The President heads the executive branch. There is no vice president. A Mexican president is only allowed to serve one six year term, called a sexenio. The current President is Felipe Calderon Hinojosa. Calderon is a member of the National Action Party (PAN ) and took office on July 2, 2006

The president is elected by a simple majority of registered voters in the thirty-one states and the Federal District. Presidential candidates must be at least thirty-five years old on election day and must be natural born citizens and the son or daughter of Mexican citizens, either natural born or naturalized. A candidate has to live in Mexico and have lived in Mexico during the year before the election. The candidate cannot be a prior cabinet member, governor, or have been discharged from active military duty in six months prior to becoming nominated.

Legislative Branch

The legislative branch is a bicameral congress called the Congreso de la Unión. Congress has the power to pass laws, impose taxes, declare war, approve the national budget, approve or reject treaties and conventions made with foreign countries, and ratify diplomatic appointments.

The upper chamber is the Cámara de Senadores which addresses all matters concerning foreign policy, approves international agreements, and confirms presidential appointments. The Cámara de Senadores has 128 members, with one of each state's four seats going to whichever party comes in second in that state.

The Cámara de Diputados deals with the government's budget and public expenditures. Both chambers draft, discuss, and approve legislation and ratify high-level presidential appointments. The Cámara de Diputados has 500 members. Members of Congress can serve more than one term, though tthe terms cannot be consecutive.

Judicial

The legal system derives from Spanish civil law with common law influence. The judicial branch is divided into federal and state systems. The highest court is the Supreme Court of Justice, consisting of twenty-one magistrates and five auxiliary judges, all appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate or the Permanent Committee.

The Supreme Court meets either in joint session or in separate chambers, depending on the type of case being heard. Court rulings are decided on the basis of majority opinion. The full court can overturn rulings by the separate chambers.

The Economist: Mexico Country Report: www.economist.com/countries/Mexico/profile.cfm?folder=Profile-Political%20Structure

The copyright of the article Mexico Government Profile 2008 in Mexico is owned by Carmen Sofia Grant. Permission to republish Mexico Government Profile 2008 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.