Mexico's ruling party loses midterm elections

[ryberg]

Mexico's ruling party loses midterm elections

Mexican President Felipe Calderon's ruling party paid the price for a weak economy in midterm elections as the opposition Revolutionary Institutional Party rolled to victories in the lower legislative house as well as state and local posts...

In response to the defeat, PAN president German Martinez resigned from the top party post Monday.

On the ballot were seats for 500 federal legislators, six governors and about 500 mayors and local legislators in 11 states. Though Calderon has three years left in his six-year term and was not on the ballot, analysts said Monday he was held responsible for Mexico's problems amid the global economic downturn.

"He got a beating because of the economy," said Ana Maria Salazar, a television and radio political commentator in Mexico City.

"The government in power pays for it," said Peter Hakim, president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue...

"The PRI wants to show that they can lead, that they're a party of ideas."

No one knows if the PRI is up to the task.

"The big question is whether the PRI will look forward only to the presidential elections," Hakim said. "The PRI has to show that they're responsible and capable of governing again."

To do so, the PRI has to make sure that internal fighting over who will run as the presidential candidate in three years does not paralyze the party.

"Don't underestimate the ability of the PRI to cannibalize itself," said...

Steve