In brief
The Mexican lower house of Congress has passed a contentious bill that would significantly limit judicial challenges to constitutional amendments, a move that many legal scholars warn could undermine judicial oversight and strengthen the ruling party’s grip on power.
The bill, which followed a similar vote in the Senate, is now poised for approval from state legislatures, before being signed into law by the president. Critics fear that this new framework could lead to unchecked legislative power, particularly by the ruling Morena party, since it enables lawmakers to alter the constitution without Supreme Court scrutiny.Legal experts and human rights advocates have expressed alarm over the implications of this reform, describing it as an attempt by the federal government to dominate the judiciary. Guadalupe Salmorán Villar, a prominent legal researcher in Mexico City, highlighted concerns that the reform could create a scenario of “unlimited power” within the government.In defense of the bill, Morena lawmaker Olga Sánchez Cordero asserted that while the judiciary would be restricted from evaluating constitutional amendments' content, procedural challenges would still be viable. She argued that the new legislation would clarify the process surrounding constitutional changes, creating a more explicit mechanism for assessment.This legislative development occurs amid heightened tensions between Mexico's main governmental branches, signaling a potential shift in the balance of power within the country’s democratic system. As state legislatures prepare to vote on the measure, the focus remains on its long-term impact on Mexico's rule of law and judicial independence.
