# Electoral reform makes IFE autonomous (22 August 1996)

URL: https://allhistories.com/mexico/timeline/1996-electoral-reform-makes-ife-autonomous
Location: Mexico City
Themes: Treaty

A constitutional electoral reform agreed by the main parties removes the government from the Federal Electoral Institute, which becomes fully autonomous under citizen councillors. It also brings the Electoral Tribunal into the federal judiciary, introduces generous public campaign financing and provides for the direct election of Mexico City's head of government. Further secondary legislation follows later that year.

## Why it matters
The 1996 reform levelled the playing field enough to make genuine electoral competition, and the PRI's peaceful defeat, possible.

Ruler at the Time: [Ernesto Zedillo](https://allhistories.com/mexico/rulers/ernesto-zedillo)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Federal Electoral Institute](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Electoral_Institute)
- [Wikipedia — Ernesto Zedillo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernesto_Zedillo)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Electoral reform makes IFE autonomous](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Electoral+reform+makes+IFE+autonomous)
- [Wikipedia — Neoliberal & Democratic Transition (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mexico#Neoliberalism_and_the_end_of_the_PRI_era)