Judicial Reform in Mexico An Advancement or a Regression in the Mexican Legal System?
In September 2024, a constitutional reform of both federal and state scope was enacted in Mexico, introducing significant changes to the Judicial Branch. For the first time, judges, magistrates, and Supreme Court justices were to be selected through popular elections involving a lottery-based candidate selection process and public voting. The primary objective of this initiative was to democratize judicial offices, based on the argument that such measures would help combat the structural corruption allegedly affecting the judiciary. Nevertheless, this reform generated intense legal, political, and social controversy throughout the country. Concerns were also raised regarding deficiencies in the transparency of the electoral process, as well as the limited dissemination of information concerning the candidates’ profiles and qualifications. The objective of this paper is to examine whether the election of judges through popular vote constitutes an appropriate mechanism for strengthening the Judicial Branch within the Mexican legal system. To this end, a documentary research methodology and literature review were employed. The findings reveal that various academic sectors and international organizations identified significant risks to judicial independence and the separation of powers. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that subjecting judicial appointments to popular elections may expose candidates to partisan pressures and undermine the fundamental principle of judicial impartiality.
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