Mexican political parties face scrutiny over membership levels

Mexican political parties are facing scrutiny regarding their membership numbers and internal democratic processes. Recent legislative reforms require parties to be transparent about their national and state affiliation registries, a practice many parties have adopted only reluctantly.

To maintain legal registration, parties must meet specific minimum affiliation requirements. For the 2027 elections, parties must maintain at least 0.26% of the National Register of Political Party Affiliates, which equates to a minimum of 256,029 people, with a required geographic dispersion of at least 3,000 members in at least 20 federal entities.

Data comparing the 2024 and 2027 cycles shows that most parties are barely meeting these legal thresholds. For example, MORENA reported 2,322,136 affiliates for 2024, while the PRI held 1,411,889. The trend suggests a focus on capturing votes during elections rather than cultivating a robust, active membership base. Critics argue this reflects a broader crisis in Mexican political parties, where decision-making is often controlled by elites, leaving members excluded from internal debates and candidate selections.