Morena analyzes incorporating the principle of ” austerity ” into the Constitution as one of the guiding axes of electoral matters , and with this greater legal support will be given to future budget adjustments and also to the reduction in the number of advisors of the National Electoral Institute (INE).
The coordinator of the federal deputies of Morena, Ignacio Mier Velazco , stated in an interview that this is one of the options that work, although the Chamber of Deputies has the power to approve the Expenditure Budget and can decide, as it has done Until now, new adjustments to the electoral authorities to curb the “excess”, he considers, of resources that they request from the INE.
The legislator explains that the coming weeks will be key for the electoral reform that the Chamber of Deputies intends to discuss, and although the PRI has affirmed that it will not approve anything that harms the INE and the Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Power of the Federation (TEPJF), states that the inclusion of the word “austerity” will suffice to give more support to the intention to cut the budget and reduce the number of directors.
It even presumes that with this change they could proceed to cut back the powers of the Institute without the need for constitutional changes.
Mier Velazco anticipates that his bench and its allies, the Labor Party (PT) and the Green Party (PVEM), which add up to the simple majority necessary to endorse the 2023 Expenditure Budget, are going for a cut in INE spending – it would be the fifth since 2019– not only the result of the “administrative reengineering” that is sought to be given to that body.
Thus, it anticipates that it is proposed to eliminate, as one of the attributions of the INE, that of heading the national strategy of civic education, as well as the exercise of trusts such as the Fund to Address Labor Liabilities of the Institute, and insist on the extinction of the insurance of increased medical expenses and reduced earnings.
“You have to take away the privileges that are offensive to the working class, they are workers at the service of the State, such as a member of the National Guard, a teacher or a nurse, a doctor. However, they, in addition to having the right to social security through the ISSSTE, have higher medical expenses as the deputies had before, they have their retirement fund”, he accuses.
“(It is required) a review, I think an administrative reengineering, because it grew in a disorderly way. It is not possible that an institute that is improving instead of reducing its costs will increase,” he argues.
See even possible pockets of resources to affect.
“There are several things, such as the responsibility indicated by the Constitution and the law that has to do with civic education. But after 30 years, all Mexicans know what it means to exercise the right to vote and be voted for,” he says.
– Is it no longer necessary? – he is asked.
–That is no longer necessary, it can now be included in the textbooks, and people can participate. At that time, they took it away from the Ministry of Public Education with the argument that it could be biased because the colors of the PRI were the same colors as the flag, so impartiality and fairness in the competition were not guaranteed and that it would be better for the INE. Well, 27 years have passed since then and that represents 600 million pesos, for example, and just like that, there are many items to adjust.
–Including this constitutional principle of austerity in electoral matters, is coverage given to budget cuts to the INE?
-A budget adjustments yes, and along with it also reduce the number of directors.
– With that reform?
-Yes, with that and even so (without reform), we as the Chamber of Deputies have the power to approve the budget, it can do so.
Mier Velazco assures that this year a cut of 4 thousand 900 million pesos was applied to the INE, and the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) ordered to explain the reasons for it (which they already did), but that the adjustment should have be much older.
“Now after the review (we saw that), we should have reduced the budget more, eh? Instead of that we should have reduced 7 billion pesos”, he maintains.
On March 7, 2019, Morena presented the reform initiative in question before the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies, via deputy Sergio Gutiérrez Luna.
Although the proposal covers many more issues, it proposed to introduce the concept of “republican austerity” in a transversal way as an electoral principle, a mandate for the INE and the TEPJF, as well as for all the autonomous organizations in the design of their budgets, and in the establishment of your perceptions.
Among others, it proposed to modify articles 40, 122, 134 of the Constitution, and strictly in terms of the organization of elections by the INE, it proposed including that “in the exercise of this state function, certainty, legality, independence, impartiality, maximum publicity, objectivity and austerity will be guiding principles”.
Although it is an initiative of Morena in the last Legislature, the intention is still valid, according to Mier.
He recognizes that a qualified majority of the deputies is required to be able to modify the Constitution, but he trusted that it is possible to reach agreements, and not only with the PRI.
“I do not want to anticipate judgments with the purpose of caring and not because of an infidence or a slip can be hindered or serve as a pretext as a reason to suspend negotiations,” he argues.
Nor does it anticipate whether Morena will choose to apply “the steamroller”, that is, its majority, to endorse secondary reforms, if necessary.
-Are they going to try to reach a consensus, but if not, nobody is obliged to do the impossible?
– Yes, where it can be built and if not…well, that’s what it’s all about.
-The majorities rule….
-In case of secondary laws yes
– Is not the ideal that there is consensus?
-That is the purpose, that is why we open this space for a broad debate and, based on successive approximations, we have an opinion that has the greatest acceptance of the parliamentary groups, he concludes by referring to the working group of 21 deputies from all parties which should systematize all existing initiatives to begin the review.
