WHAT IS EFFECTIVE SUFFRAGE, NOT REELECTION? WHO SAID IT? - HISTORY - 2025

"Effective suffrage, no reelection" is a Mexican phrase that promotes democracy by promoting respect for the decision of the people, while opposing the reelection of leaders.

The phrase arose in 1909 within the National Anti-reelection Party (PNA). It was the slogan of the campaign of Francisco Ignacio Madero in 1910, who was a candidate for the presidency and sought to get out of what is now known as the Porfiriato (a 30-year period in which Mexico was ruled by Porfirio Díaz).

Consequently, the phrase "effective suffrage, no reelection" was the perfect slogan to express his political proposal. Madero specified that "effective suffrage" referred to his interest that the legitimate vote of the people be respected and that there be no electoral fraud.

By integrating the "no reelection" it was evidenced that he was opposed to the fact that the leaders will stay in power for a long time, as had happened with Porfirio Díaz, who ruled for almost a quarter of the 19th century and approximately eleven years of the century. XX.

The author of the phrase "Effective suffrage, no re-election"

The phrase "effective suffrage, no re-election" was said by the Mexican Francisco Ignacio Madero. Effective suffrage and non-reelection were the main objectives of the PNA, which was founded by Francisco Ignacio Madero in 1909.

This phrase sought to express part of what the Mexican people needed and did not need. On the one hand, transparent elections were needed, and on the other it was necessary to establish a limit for the presidential term.

Francisco Madero's objective was to prevent the leaders from ruling for long periods. He considered that the prolonged stay of a person in power could lead to corruption and cause damage to the country.

Later, the phrase was used as a slogan for the presidential campaign of Madero, who was launched as a candidate in 1910. This statement represented a resounding opposition to what had been going on in Mexico from 1876 to 1910.

Francisco Madero's electoral campaign consisted of going from town to town talking with Mexican citizens promoting democracy, respect for individual guarantees and the Constitution.

With that speech, he managed to convince the population that he had the necessary skills to beat Porfirio Díaz and generate changes in the country.

Madero and the Mexican Revolution of 1910

Francisco Madero was a presidential candidate in 1910. When he already had several followers, he was jailed for alleged sedition (uprising by a group of people against a government).

This incarceration causes Porfirio Díaz to win the presidential elections once again. This was not pleasant neither for Mexico nor for Madero.

Madero escapes from prison and decides to proclaim the Plan of San Luis. This plan consisted of a call for armed struggle against the government and the establishment of free elections.

The rebellion was scheduled for November 20, 1910, but in the state of Chihuahua it began on November 14 when rebels took Cuchillo Parado.

For this reason, by November 20, a large number of people had already joined the rebellion.

That day began what is known today as the Mexican Revolution of 1910. The armed conflict continued until May 25, 1911, when Porfirio Díaz presented his letter of resignation.

In 1911 elections were held and this time Francisco Madero was elected. During his presidential term, he continued with his ideal of "effective suffrage, no reelection."

However, his mandate was interrupted by a coup carried out from February 9 to 19, 1911 by Victoriano Huerta, commander of the Armed Forces of the United Mexican States.

Huerta was a supporter of the Porfirio Díaz government, but when he saw that Díaz was losing, he began to be loyal to Francisco Madero. For this reason, he remained in his military position during the Madero presidency.

This situation was what allowed him to organize the coup in 1913, a situation that ended on February 22, 1913 when Francisco Madero was assassinated along with José María Pino Suárez, who was the vice president of Mexico.

“Effective suffrage, no reelection” and the 1917 Constitution of Mexico

The phrase "effective suffrage not reelection" was part of the structuring of the Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1917.

The most relevant change in said Constitution was to eliminate reelection. It was established in article 83 that the president will take office on December 1 and will last for six (6) years. Once that period is over, he cannot be re-elected.

For that historical moment, it was necessary to eliminate reelection. Mexico had just come out of thirty years of a government that did not think about the interests of its citizens.

"Effective suffrage, no reelection" today

The constitutional reforms allowed the reelection of legislators and mayors, as long as they had gone through a period of recess before being reelected.

With the constitutional reform of February 10, 2014, immediate reelection for legislative and municipal positions is allowed.

This reform was carried out with the aim that legislators and mayors could deliver better results once their term ended.

This is because they considered that the time established for the performance of each one of the officials was short to be able to develop the projects and implement policies that contribute to the growth of the country.

Consequently, the implementation of a motto that has been part of Mexican culture for over a hundred years has been set aside.

References

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