A last-ditch attempt to water down the Mexican government’s justice reforms - which would make every judicial post open to direct election - failed in the country’s Supreme Court yesterday. 

In a widely-watched vote, only seven of the court’s 11 justices voted to support a measure that would roll back some parts of the reform - one vote short of the eight required to pass it. The outcome averted a threatened constitutional crisis between the court and the newly elected government of president Claudia Sheinbaum.

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‘Constitutional crisis’ looms over judicial elections

Senate leader Gerardo Fernández Noroña hailed what he described as a victory for 'reason, decency and legality' following the court’s decision.

Mexico is now set to become the first modern nation to select its entire judiciary by popular vote, from a government-approved list of candidates. The reform was announced by Sheinbaum’s predecessor, Manuel López Obrador, as a move to combat corruption in the judiciary. However it has been widely condemned, including by legal professional bodies, as a move towards the politicisation of the judiciary.  

Elections will be held in June 2025 to replace a wide range of judicial positions, including all justices of the Supreme Court, whose bench will be reduced to nine members.