Opposition Government in Mexico

The political system in Mexico is changing to a more open and democratic one. The transformation is evident in the genuine multiparty competition in elections, which since the mid-1980s has resulted in opposition parties winning office at the municipal and state levels. Once in power, these opposition parties have sought to deliver on their campaign promises while also dealing with the old regime, especially in seeking to establish effective relations with the ruling PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional).

The fourteen original essays in this book, by scholars working in both Mexico and the United States, are ground-breaking case studies of opposition governments of both the right and the left. Addressed are the transition from opposition party to party in government, the bases of support for the opposition, and the day-to-day public administration and governance under the opposition. The experiences of these governments suggest that in spite of limited electoral reforms in Mexico, modernization of the political system is under way. This new pluralism is most evident in the larger municipalities.