(Bloomberg) — Mexico’s senate approved in general terms a bill backed by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador that would reform parts of the electoral process, a partial win for the president in the lead-up to the 2024 federal election that will determine his successor.
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The bill, which has been called “Plan B” by the local press based on a quip by the president, seeks to cut funding for the National Electoral Institute, which oversees elections in Mexico, and trim its workforce. The bill was approved with 69 votes in favor and 53 against, according to a tweet by the Senate. Debate on reserved articles continued Wednesday night.
Lopez Obrador had sought a more expansive reform of the electoral process earlier in the year but faced pushback from lawmakers who didn’t support changing the constitution. Thousands of protesters turned out carrying signs in favor of INE, as the institute is known, in November.
Read more: Mexicans March Against AMLO’s Plan to Overhaul Electoral System
The Senate vote is one of the last steps for the reform to become law. The lower house must approve the latest changes, though its lawmakers have already approved a prior version.
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