It has been several months since citizen organizations and activist have tried to attain the approval of a political reform. This political reform mentions various points [es] including, among others, the possibility for citizens to present initiatives directly to the Congress, a preference initiative for the leader of the Executive Power and reelection for mayors and legislators.

The issue that has attracted the most attention from this reform is reelection. Reelection in Mexico was blocked in the 1917 constitution because of the negative precedent left by the government of Porfirio Díaz. The reform is seen by many as a positive step forward in the long maturity process Mexican democracy has experienced since the shift of party power in 2000.

Representative Dina Herrera (PRD) during the vote, with congressmen from PRI. #ReformaPoliticaYA. Image from @albertoserdan on Twitpic, used with permission

In April [es] of this year, the Mexican Senate approved the reform, sending it to the lower chamber for ratification. Due to the end of the normal session period, the reform couldn't be approved in the past months. Yesterday, the discussion was reopened at the commission of constitutional matters.

The issue of reelection is very controversial, since a fraction of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) is opposed to it, thus sparking a wave of outrage among reform supporters.

Hector Saúl Tellez (@hector_saul1) expressed his frustration with the PRI's fraction:

A q le teme el PRI?? Porque detienen las Reformas? #ReformaPoliticaYA

Fernando Pineda M. (@elpilguanejo) called his congresswoman to vote in favor of the legislative reelection:

Diputada @adelarobles , recuerde que usted representa a los ciudadanos y no a su partido. #ReformaPoliticaYA con reelección

The voting on the subject of reelection ended up tied on the first round because representative Dina Herrera (from the Party of the Democratic Revolution) changed her mind after asking, “what are we voting for?”, as Leunam LC (@leunamlc) said:

Chale, la diputada Dina (PRD) vota y después pregunta qué se está votando? #ReformaPolíticaYA

The first round of votes resulted on a tie with 14 votes for and 14 votes against, so it had to start again. This time Representative Dina Herrera voted with an abstention, therefore the reelection was buried with 14 votes against and 13 in favor.

According to Foundation Mexico SOS (@MexicoSOS) the congresswoman was influenced by a congressman from PRI:

Diputada Dina Herrera del PRD había votado a favor, luego fue coaccionada por dip. Martel (PRI) y anuló su voto #ReformaPolíticaYA

For Javier A. Santoyo F. (@JavierSantoyo) the PRI's attitude is halting democracy:

Hoy se vio para que quiere usar su mayoría el PRI + PVEM, simplemente para frenar la democracia y rendición de cuentas #ReformaPoliticaYA

The debate was described by some as a “show”; it got to the point where the PRI asked citizens to leave the debate, as Juan Pablo Espinosa (@JuanPabloEMT) explained:

En plena comisión el PRI pidió que nos fueramos que ” por que andabamos robando camara y armando espectáculo ” #ReformapoliticaYA

JC (@zedzenka) showed his frustration with the reform obstruction:

#ReformaPoliticaYA !!! Porque, el #PRI, obstaculiza las reformas? Es el nuevo #PRI?

YONOFUI (@YONOFUI) One of the citizen leaders of the reform, who camped in front of the Senate last summer, said:

#Uuuuuffff!!! Que día! Como dijimos esta es el inicio de lo más fuerte de #ReformaPoliticaYA

The discussion is only starting and we will have to wait to see the politicians’ reactions to the indignation shown on the social networks.