Politics: How the new Congress is shaping up
It had long been known that President-elect Manuel Andrés López Obrador’s Morena party would enjoy a majority in both chambers of Congress with a little help from its coalition partners, but last minute reshuffling and political maneuvering means its caucus will wield an outright majority in the lower chamber, with absolute control over leadership bodies and chairmanships. In the Senate it will need the support of only its PT allies to pass most legislation.
The first few days have offered a bitter taste of how Morena intends to apply its newfound power –an obvious disdain for opposition leaders, as well as a willingness to break procedural rules and use strong arm tactics to get its way such as when Manuel Velasco was forced to send five PVEM leader deputies to serve In the governing party’s own caucus in exchange for a three-month leave of absence to serve out the rest of his term as governor of Chiapas– are all indicative of the less than democratic spirit with which the new majority intends govern. An attitude devoid of any pretense of willingness to make concessions to the rest of the parties, and potentially eliminating any possibility of modifying the new administration’s legislative proposals and decisions.
Unsurprisingly, Morena’s list of priorities for this inaugural period of Congress are led of by governmental austerity measures, reviving the public security ministry, and the launch or expansion of social support programs for young people and the elderly.
Opposition parties may coincide with some of Morena’s ideas, strongly oppose others, but most certainly would be interested in amending some of its bills, but, the events of these first few days speak volumes as to what we can expect in the way of a Morena governing style: an unadulterated and tight fisted style of operating with no apparent concern for any rules and regulations, much less how much such methods might erode the party’s moral authority or credibility. If they continue to behave in this manner there will be no reason or argument that could detain them. They will simply role over a greatly diminished opposition.
Now read on...
Register to sample a report