Tuesday April 21, 2009

CONSTITUTION

• The Mexican government used to be moderately authoritarian under the rule of the PRI.
• As the PAN challenged the PRI in the elections, the elections became more fair.
• Groups that used to rival the PRI that couldn't be coopted were dealt with harshly.
• The government now is democratic and reflects many similarities of the American government.
• Mexico has a federal system.
• There are 3 independent branches, the constitution establishes checks and balances, and the president is elected to 6 year terms
• The President must be 35, Mexican born, and have Mexican parents.
  
• There is no Vice President.
• If the President dies or becomes unable to leave within two years of his presidency then elections are held to replace him. If it's after the two years then congress appoints a standing leader.
  
• The constitution establishes a 2 house legislature and are elected by both single member districts and proportional representation.

JUDICIARY

• The court system is headed by the supreme court.
  
• 21 magistrates are appointed for life by the president.
• The court can decide if a law is unconstitutional but can only suspend the law in the particular case that they are adjudicating.
• If the court finds the same law unconstitutional 5 times consecutively then the law becomes nullified.
  
• If their is a disruption with the law before the 5 consecutive suspensions of it are up then the process starts over.
  
• Judicial review exists but in the past the court cooperated with the incumbent PRI presidents until 2000.
  
• In 2000 the supreme court ruled against outgoing President Zadillo which was a first

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

• It is the dominant part of government in Mexico.
• Many unwritten laws give the president recognized powers that have been produced through the long stretch of PRI rule.
  
• The President had control over the legislature and Judiciary branch in the past when the PRI had control.
  
• The president's cabinet used to be filled with members of his Camarilla but since Fox they have ben appointing prominent politicians instead of old party friends and affiliates.
• Policies made by the president used to be passed easily under PRI control of the government but recently the loss of the majority in the legislature has slowed the president's power.
  
• In the 1988 election the PRI lost its 2/3 majority of the legislature.
  
• The presidents have never been really constrained by the mass media.
• A big power that the president has is appointing public office holders at all levels of the political system.
  

LEGISLATURE

• The legislature was weak during the PRI dominance.
• There are 2 houses in the legislature and they consist of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.
• The chamber of deputies consists of 500 seats. 300 are chosen by single member district elections (winner take all) and the remaining 200 are chosen through proportional representation.
• The chamber of deputies members hold 3 year terms.
• Each state of Mexico gets three senators and 32 senators proportionally represent the states.
  
• Each senator holds 6 year terms.
• The legislature is becoming more powerful in terms of its influence in government.
  
• There is a permanent commission of 14 senators and 15 deputies that act on behalf of congress when congress is out of session.
  
• No party holds a majority in either house of the legislature.