The 2007-2008 Electoral Reform, Four Years Later. Notes for a Balance of its Instrumentation

This paper offers a diagnosis of the problems and missing elements in the rules introduced in the Electoral Reform of 2007-2008 that have not yet been addressed. The problems are, in part, a consequence of an ominous legislative omission, but also stem from the lack of commitment of the political actors that created it. In fact, instead of addressing the problems, the architects of the reform have found ways to break it themselves. The goal of this work is to clearly identify the areas of opportunity that would allow steering the electoral process in Mexico, particularly the presidential elections of 2012, to a safe end. To this aim, the author analyzes new legal mechanisms, like the sanctioning administrative procedure, and highlights the lessons learned during the electoral process of 2009 and the local elections of 2010 and 2011.