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What's Being Done On . . . Breakthrough Elections ?
Mexico's Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, held July 2, 2000 Background | Organizations Working on Elections in Mexico | Other links Background On July 2, 2000, almost 65 percent of Mexico's nearly 60 million voters took part in an election that marked the first time in 71 years that the presidency passed from one political party to another. Vicente Fox of the National Action Party (PAN) won the presidential race with 43.4 percent of the vote, defeating Francisco Labastida of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), who gained 36.9 percent. While in power for 71 years, the PRI dominated Mexican politics by limiting civil liberties, restricting party and candidate registration, committing electoral fraud and electoral corruption through vote-buying and coercion. However, under former President Ernesto Zedillo, the government instituted reforms to ensure an independent electoral authority, to address concerns of vote buying and voter coercion, and to open the political space for opposition groups and civil society. As a result, the elections in July 2000 were free, fair, and peaceful, and the result brought a democratic change in Mexico. Fox's victory in the elections ended the PRI's long-dominant role. The parliamentary elections also demonstrated Mexico's move from a one-party to a multi-party system. In the elections to the Lower Chamber, the PAN gained 39.14 percent of the votes while the PRI gained 37.79 percent. In the elections to the Senate, the PAN received 39.19 percent of the vote and the PRI with 37.75 percent. Organizations Working on Elections in Mexico Alianza Civica - Civic Alliance www.alianzacivica.org.mx/ The Civic Alliance monitored and reported on cases of pre-electoral fraud and abuse in Mexico. It also trained and organized teams of local pre-election monitors in 280 electoral districts. The trained monitors investigated allegations of vote buying and voter coercion, and conducted a public education campaign to discourage fraud. In addition, Civic Alliance monitored the use of government social funds during the campaign period and the elections, and conducted election day observation. National Democratic Institute for International Affairs - NDI www.ndi.org/worldwide/lac/mexico/mexico.asp During 1999-2000, NDI brought legislators from around the world to share their expertise with Mexican counterparts on important electoral reform issues, including coalition building. In preparation for the July 2000 elections, NDI continued to monitor progress in media objectivity, as well as the use of public funds in the campaign period, by conducting two pre-election assessment missions. NDI also brought a 42-member delegation from 12 countries to observe the elections and provided assistance to Alianza Civica to conduct a "quick count." Oaxacan Indigenous Binational Front www.fiob.org Oaxacan Indigenous Binational Front conducted pre-election and election-day monitoring in the state of Oaxaca. It trained a network of representatives in the indigenous Mixtec region to monitor public spending by local governments and the activities of local candidates. Presencia Ciudadana - Citizens' Presence www.presenciaciudadana.org.mx Presencia Ciudadana conducted a project to increase the awareness and participation of Mexican youth in the 2000 elections. It gathered information on the presidential candidates' constituencies, platforms, and political histories. Also, in collaboration with the U.S.-based "Rock the Vote" initiative, it conducted a public information campaign in universities throughout Mexico. Other links Instituto Federal Electoral - IFE (Federal Electoral Institute of Mexico) www.ife.org.mx/ Mujeres en Lucha por la Democracia (Women in Struggle for Democracy) www.laneta.apc.org/mld Movimiento Ciudadana para la Democracia - MCD (Citizen's Movement for Democracy) www.laneta.apc.org/mcd About "What's Being Done On . . . " For three months at a time, we highlight the activities of various organizations in different global regions, and links to important resources, that are focused on a particular theme or area of democracy work. Each new theme is announced via DemocracyNews, and the information from the previous installment is placed in the archives below. We hope to receive and post information about the work you or others may be doing that is focused on these issues. Send information via e-mail to the or by fax to (202) 378-9889. |
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