Recasting Federalism in Mexico

Decentralization of political power and administrative decision-making during the last three presidential administrations (1982-2000) has recast federalism in Mexico and sharply altered intergovernmental relations between the levels of government and between the principal branches. Although decentralization cannot be equated conceptually with federalism, their relationship is extremely tight in Mexico. The shift toward a more decentralized regime is an outcome of federal government policies and political liberalization. Political pluralism and the demise of centralism were further intensified by the 1997 midterm elections. The rapidly changing political climate in Mexico has increasingly demanded that the reallocation of power be genuine, that is, that power be shared not only vertically, with the various levels of government, but also horizontally, with the other branches as well. Copyright , Oxford University Press.