Historic Election in Mexico: Claudia Sheinbaum Becomes First Woman President

In a historic moment for Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected as the country’s first woman president, according to the provisional results announced by the Mexican election commission. Sheinbaum, from the ruling Morena party, has taken an unassailable lead over her nearest rivals in the presidential contest held on June 2, 2024. Outgoing Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who mentored Sheinbaum, has congratulated her on her victory. The elections also saw the renewal of more than 20,000 political positions, including all seats in the lower house, the senate, and regional and municipal offices.

A Groundbreaking Contest: Two Female Front-runners

The presidential race was a groundbreaking one, with two female candidates emerging as the front-runners. Sheinbaum faced tough competition from Xochitl Galvez, the opposition party candidate backed by the PRI, which has ruled Mexico for 71 years. The third candidate, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, secured a smaller percentage of votes.

Vote Shares and Parliamentary Majority

According to the National Electoral Institute of Mexico, Sheinbaum secured between 58.3% and 60.7% of the vote, while Xóchitl Gálvez received between 26.6% and 28.6%, and Jorge Álvarez Máynez had between 9.9% to 10.8%. Sheinbaum’s Morena party is also expected to win a majority of seats in both chambers of the Mexican Congress.

About the President-Elect: Claudia Sheinbaum

• Age: 61 years old
• Background: Climate activist and former mayor of Mexico City
• Religion: Jewish, making her the first Jew to become the president of the predominantly Catholic Christian nation.
• Ideology: A staunch supporter of the leftist President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who is considered the second most popular leader in the world after Narendra Modi.

The Mexican Presidency: Constitutional Provisions

According to the Mexican Constitution of 1917, the President is the head of the executive branch and is directly elected by the people for a six-year term. A person can become president only once in Mexico, which prevented López Obrador from contesting again.

Mexico is a federal country with 31 states, and in case of the president’s death or resignation, the legislature elects a new provisional president. There is no provision for a vice president in Mexico.

Static GK:

• Currency: Mexican Peso 
• President :  Manuel López Obrador