Monday, August 18, 2008

Glimpse of the Future

Excelsior leads with an article dissecting the PRI's shift to the left. Coupled with the possible disintegration of the PRD, this could mark a new era in Mexican politics, with the PAN being the broad party of the right (much as they already are), and the PRI occupying the same sphere on the left (which is a bit of a change). I think this would mostly be a good thing, but I wonder what would happen to all the people who voted for el Peje in 2006: would most of them jump back to the PRI, or would they follow the various PRD splinter groups? And what would happen to the moderate perredistas? Would they be willing to jump on board a more socialist PRI? Would the pro-business moderates follow the PRI leftward or would they jump ship?

Also, the PRI mentions reaffirming its roots as the party of Lázaro Cárdenas, but will that mean anything beyond rhetoric? It makes sense politically since Cárdenas remains a beloved figure, but his ideas are 70 years old, and the PRI is in the midst of partially undoing his most celebrated achievement in office, the oil nationalization.

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