The resignation announcement by Guadalupe Taddei Zavala has triggered a political fight over who will next lead Mexico's National Electoral Institute (INE). On 25 October, PAN congressional coordinator Elías Lixa urged the Chamber of Deputies to conduct an open, transparent and independent selection. He explicitly rejected any arrangement that would place the Technical Evaluation Committee under the control of the government or Morena. The demand comes as the Superior Audit Office of the Federation (ASF) examines possible irregularities in the institute's spending and contracting.
- Key Point: No partisan control: The PAN insists the succession must not be decided by Morena or by government interests.
- Key Point: Audits must continue: Taddei's departure should not stop the ASF inquiry; responsibilities must be clarified.
- Key Point: Evaluators must be independent: Committee members need electoral experience and no ties to parties or the administration.
- Key Point: Timing of the replacement: Morena's Ricardo Monreal Ávila estimates the Chamber will take four to five weeks, with an interim president leading the INE in the meantime.
Constitutional framework and the evaluation committee
In a statement issued on 25 October, Lixa Abimerhi said the Chamber has a constitutional duty in the appointment, especially because INE's credibility and management have been questioned over alleged corruption, conflicts of interest and poor use of public resources.
“El Congreso no puede repetir los errores que nos trajeron hasta aquí. No vamos a aceptar un Comité de Evaluación diseñado para favorecer intereses políticos ni una designación previamente decidida desde las oficinas del gobierno y Morena. México necesita una autoridad electoral independiente, no una presidencia subordinada al poder”.
He pointed to Article 41 of the Constitution as the legal basis for naming electoral advisers. In his view, the way the Technical Evaluation Committee is assembled will determine whether the vetting of candidates is professional, independent and impartial.
Lixa proposed that the people chosen for the committee demonstrate a solid professional background, proven electoral knowledge, integrity and independent judgment. They should have no connection to the federal government or any political party, to prevent conflicts of interest during the review.
Transparency demands and accountability
The PAN coordinator demanded that every stage of the evaluation have maximum publicity, with verifiable standards, objective tests and written explanations for each decision. He said the profiles with the strongest results should be the ones considered to lead the INE. He also called on the Junta de Coordinación Política and the full Chamber to avoid converting the succession into a distribution of partisan quotas.
“La salida de una persona no resuelve los problemas de una institución ni cancela las investigaciones. Los hechos de corrupción que se acrediten deben sancionarse hasta sus últimas consecuencias. México necesita respuestas claras sobre el manejo de los recursos públicos y garantías de que estas prácticas no se repetirán”.
He urged auditing and oversight bodies to act with independence and rigor to clarify possible conflicts of interest, ensure accountability and avoid leaving any responsibility unexamined or unpunished.
Resignation details, timeline and political pressure
Taddei announced her resignation on Sunday 25 October and is expected to formalize it before the Chamber on Monday 26. The move unfolds while the ASF investigates possible irregularities in contracts and possible conflicts of interest involving INE suppliers. The institute's statement about the resignation was published, temporarily removed, and later reposted without any explanation for the gap.
According to Ricardo Monreal Ávila, president of the Junta de Coordinación Política and Morena's coordinator, the Chamber will begin with a public call. A technical committee will then receive and review candidate applications. He estimates the whole process will last four to five weeks, during which INE will be run by an interim presidency.
Taddei had been in the post since April 2023. Her resignation takes place during the 2026-2027 federal electoral process, which began on 10 September.
Jorge Romero Herrera said Morena was responsible for putting Taddei in the INE and demanded that the ruling party answer for the scandal surrounding her departure. He warned that removing her will not fix the problem if another Morena-aligned profile is imposed. He also demanded autonomy and transparency, arguing that the electoral arbiter cannot be controlled by one party.
For the PAN, the selection of the next INE president should serve to strengthen the institute's autonomy, restore public confidence and guarantee that future elections are conducted with certainty, impartiality and independence from political interests. Whether the Chamber respects the constitutional procedure and resists turning the appointment into a partisan quota arrangement will determine whether those goals are achievable.