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The current division of Mexican executive, legislative and judicial branches is
the product of the 1917 Constitution. Historically, the executive is the
dominant branch, with power vested in the president, who promulgates and
executes the laws of the Congress. The president is elected by universal
adult suffrage for a six-year term and may not hold office for a second time.
There is no vice president; in the event of the removal or death of the
president, a provisional president is elected by the Congress.
However, ever since 1997 the role of Congress has become increasingly
important as opposition parties were given majority in the legislature.
The Mexican Congress is composed of a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies where
senators are elected o six-year terms, and deputies serve three-year terms.
Consecutive re-election is prohibited by law. The Senate's 128 seats are
filled by a mixture of direct election and proportional representation. In
the lower chamber, 300 deputies are directly elected to represent single-member
districts, and 200 are selected by a modified form of proportional
representation from five electoral regions. The 200 proportional
representation seats were created to help smaller parties gain access to the
Chamber.
The judiciary is divided into federal and state court systems, with federal
courts having jurisdiction over most civil cases and those involving major
felonies. Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president and
approved by the Senate. In most cases, trial is done by judge instead of
jury. Defendants have a right to counsel, and public defenders are
available. Other rights include defense against self-incrimination, the
right to confront one's accuses, and the right to a public trial.
 Recent
politics
The elections of 2000 marked the first time since the Mexican Revolution that
the opposition defeated the party in government. Vicente Fox won the
presidential election with an overwhelming majority of 43%, and a significant
number of candidates from opposition parties had secured seats in the Chamber of
Deputies and Senate. As a result of these elections, the Congress is now
more diverse than ever and many of the current electoral concerns have shifted
amendments to address these issues. The court system has been given
greater authority to hear civil rights cases on electoral matters brought by
individuals or groups. In sum, the extensive reform efforts have
"leveled the playing field" for the parties. In addition,
President Fox has promised to more actively promote international human rights
and democracy as well as increasing Mexico's participation in international
affairs.
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