The ruling National Regeneration Movement (MORENA, founded by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador) and its allies (see note 1) won a majority, taking 278 seats in the 500-member Chamber of Deputies. The opposition coalition (see note 2) took a total of 199 seats. In all, 250 women were elected, thereby achieving gender parity in the legislature.

The mid-term elections followed the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a huge death toll and devastated the country’s economy. They were also marred by violence. Cases of threats and robbery were reported across several states during polling day. The major electoral issues in 2021 included public security amid violence related to drug-trafficking and mass migration from Central America.

Note 1:
The ruling coalition, “Together We Make History”, comprises the MORENA (led by Mr. Mario Martín Delgado), the Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM, led by Ms. Karen Castrejón Trujillo) and the Labour Party (PT, led by Mr. Alberto Anaya Gutiérrez). The MORENA itself lost the majority, taking 198 seats (down from 255) but both its allies increased their share of seats. The PVEM nearly quadrupled its share to win 43 seats, thereby becoming the fourth largest party in the new legislature.

Note 2:
The “Go for Mexico” coalition comprises the National Action Party (PAN, led by Mr. Marko Cortés Mendoza), the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI, led by Mr. Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas) and the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD, led by Mr. Jesús Zambrano Grijalva). Both the PAN and the former ruling party, the PRI, increased their share of seats, while the PRD won a lower share and became the smallest party in the new legislature.