party-affiliated judges poised for majority on Mexico's Supreme Court

A Whole New Brand of Democracy: Mexico's Historic Judicial Elections

party-affiliated judges poised for majority on Mexico's Supreme Court

Mexico made history by becoming the first country to select all its judges via public voting. On June 1, 2025, over 880 federal judges and hundreds of local and magistrate positions were up for grabs in this unprecedented democratic event.

The process, however, was met with controversy, confusion, and low turnout, with only about 13% of eligible voters participating. Despite the rocky start, President Claudia Sheinbaum declared the election a success. Her opposition, on the other hand, slammed it as a farce that could consolidate the ruling party's power.

Sheinbaum's Morena party already dominates both houses of Congress. With 87% of ballots counted as of late Monday, judges aligned with the Morena party looked to be ahead in the Supreme Court race. But a surprising contender emerged – Hugo Aguilar, a member of the Mixtec Indigenous group, former advisor to the Zapatista guerrilla movement, and constitutional law specialist. Aguilar was leading Lenia Batres, a Morena party member and appointee of former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

This election was launched by Lopez Obrador in response to repeated clashes with the courts that hindered several flagship initiatives. Mexico's Congress, dominated by Morena party lawmakers, fast-tracked the overhaul. Critics raised concerns that this could undermine checks and balances, leaving judges more vulnerable to criminal influence.

The majority of Mexico's Supreme Court justices stepped down over the reform and declined to stand for election. Sheinbaum, Lopez Obrador's successor, has championed the overhaul as necessary to clean up a judiciary mired in corruption.

While Sheinbaum downplayed the low turnout, arguing that 13 million Mexicans casting votes was more representative than the previous process where senators selected Supreme Court justices, her opponents called it a dark day for democracy. The opposition argues that Sheinbaum's Morena party was willing to do anything to consolidate power, weaken the justice system, and trample on democratic institutions.

The elections raised concerns about the potential vulnerability of elected judges to pressure from criminals. Rights group Defensorxs identified around 20 candidates they considered "high risk," including former lawyers for drug cartel leaders. Another aspiring judge spent almost six years in prison in the United States for drug crimes, despite official requirements for a clean criminal record.

Despite the controversy, this election is seen as a significant step toward judicial reform and accountability. Supporters argue that it represents a move away from corruption and nepotism in the judiciary. The long-term impact of these elections on Mexico's judicial system and democratic institutions remains to be seen.

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This election, held in June 2025, had significant implications for Mexico's system of checks and balances, raising concerns about criminal influence and being surrounded by controversy.
Critics argue that the process could potentially allow the ruling party to expand its influence over the judicial branch, potentially undermining the checks and balances essential to a democratic system.
Another major concern is the potential facilitation of organized crime influence within the judiciary. Critics fear that the elections may allow less-qualified candidates to gain judicial positions, potentially paving the way for criminal elements to exert influence over the courts.
The decision to hold judicial elections was part of a constitutional reform initiated by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) and approved during his final months in office. While proponents argue that these elections represent a step toward reducing corruption and nepotism in the judiciary, critics see the process as overly politicized and rushed, with many candidates being selected just eight months after AMLO left office.
Despite these controversies, a significant portion of the Mexican public supports the law that enabled these elections, indicating a broader desire for judicial reform and accountability. However, the long-term impact of these elections on Mexico's judicial system and broader democratic institutions remains to be seen.

The United States political and general news sectors closely watched Mexico's historic judicial elections in June 2025, as concerns about criminal influence and potential undermining of checks and balances within the judiciary emerged due to the overhaul's politicization and perceived haste.
Policy-and-legislation experts question the implication of Mexico's judicial elections on justice, as critics argue that the process could facilitate organized crime influence within the judiciary, allowing less-qualified candidates to gain positions, potentially weakening the justice system and democratic institutions.
The drug crime sector has shown increasing interest in Mexico's judicial elections, as the elections raised concerns about the potential vulnerability of elected judges to pressure from criminals. Some candidates, including former lawyers for drug cartel leaders and those with a history of drug crimes, have been identified as high-risk, further fueling concerns about criminal influence in Mexico's judiciary.