What's happened
Mexico's Supreme Court failed to invalidate a controversial judicial reform requiring judges to be elected. The decision, made on November 5, 2024, has raised concerns about judicial independence and the potential politicization of the judiciary under President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Guardian, the Supreme Court's failure to secure the necessary votes to challenge the judicial reform has sparked fears of a constitutional crisis in Mexico. The Independent highlights that the court's decision was not about the validity of the reform itself but rather a rejection of challenges from opposition parties. The New York Times notes that this ruling spares President Sheinbaum from a difficult choice between adhering to a court decision or siding with her party's leaders, who have indicated they would ignore such a ruling. Bloomberg emphasizes the unanimous nature of the court's decision, reflecting a significant moment in Mexico's political landscape.
How we got here
In September 2024, Mexico's Congress passed a judicial reform mandating elections for all judges, a move supported by President Claudia Sheinbaum. The reform has faced significant opposition, leading to mass resignations among justices and protests from judicial workers.
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Andrés Manuel López Obrador is the 58th and current President of Mexico, since 1 December 2018.
Born in Tepetitán, in the municipality of Macuspana, in south-eastern state of Tabasco, López Obrador graduated from the National Autonomous University of
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Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea