CDMX Begins Drafting Its First Constitution

Mexico City is currently working on drafting a constitution now that it has officially become the thirty-second state of the country. A Change.org petition was started specifically for the drafting process so that the millions of residents of the city could submit proposals for the constituent assembly to consider. The process has so far resulted in an official document outlining the objectives for the constitution that will be drafted by the constituent assembly, currently containing 81 members, by January 2017.

Each state in Mexico has its own constitution, and now that Mexico City has become an official state, it is following suit in drafting its own. According to EFE, the President declared on January 29 that “Mexico City will continue to be the seat of the powers of the Union and the capital of the United States of Mexico, but it will now have autonomy concerning its interior regime and its political and administrative organization.” Therefore, the capital of the country is no longer a Federal District but a state of its own, dropping its title as México, D.F. and officially being recognized as Ciudad de México.

Since 1985, when the global alpha city was struck by an 8.1 magnitude earthquake, capitalinos (residents of the capital) have been demanding more autonomy and representation in the government, due in large part to the poor response to the devastating earthquake by the federal government at the time.

The cosmopolitan city of 20 million is also a largely progressive and educated metropolis that could have a huge influence in the country through increased representation and voting power. Through a constitution of its own, the city could finally express an identity that has existed in the minds of capitalinos for a long time.

Regarding the content of the constitution, El País reports that the clauses in the current outline are quite progressive for the country, including the legalization of marijuana, animal rights, sexual freedom, reproductive rights, and referendum rights for revoking mayoral power. Another proposal for the constitution regards land use, given that the capital city is ever-growing. Santiago Creel, a member of the constituent assembly, states that “among the interests most pertinent to inhabitants of the city is the general planning of the city . . . which we plan to address by establishing mechanisms for equality and protection” of land use.

The drafting process so far, although seemingly inclusive, has been criticized by those who oppose the appointment process of the constituent assembly. Members of the National Regeneration Movement, a leftist political party, expressed that the constituent assembly should have been formed by elected members instead of being partially made up of appointees by President Peña Nieto and mayor Mancera.

Critics also are suspicious of the origins of the constitution-writing process, since Peña Nieto and Mancera, who are both facing low approval ratings, proposed it themselves. Many citizens who adhere to this perspective, therefore, sense that the process is authoritarian in nature.

Despite much enthusiasm from the government and from many citizens of the capital, the drafting of the constitution for Mexico City still faces criticism. However, this is to be expected from a city of 20 million residents with differing political ideologies and large socioeconomic inequalities.

With the process itself also being highly complex, the citizens of Mexico City are putting their faith, or their lack thereof, into an idea that may give the city more direct influence in the federal government if done correctly and transparently.

“We want the city to become a crucible for the whole of Mexico,” said Carlos Cruz, a member of the constituent assembly. Only time will tell if this idea will become a reality, as the process is now in the hands of a select few in regards to the size of the population of Mexico City.