In a year when global headlines were dominated by a surge in far-right movements and political instability, Mexico stood out as an exception. Not only did the left-leaning governing party Morena retain power, but it also expanded its influence significantly—achieving a two-thirds supermajority in the Chamber of Deputies. Even more striking, the far right failed to field a serious presidential candidate.
This unusual outcome has caught the attention of progressives worldwide. But while Morena’s success offers lessons in left-wing mobilisation and messaging, it also reflects compromises and contradictions that make it difficult to adopt wholesale as a model for others.
A Charismatic Leader and a Resonant Message
Morena’s rise began with the landslide election of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (commonly known as AMLO) in 2018. After years of campaigning and two failed presidential bids, AMLO founded Morena and captured 55% of the vote—an unprecedented achievement in modern Mexican democracy.
AMLO’s political narrative centred around the idea that Mexico had been captured by corrupt elites and business cartels. This message resonated deeply in a country where the richest 1% control 27% of the income, and millions struggle with chronic poverty and inequality.
In office, AMLO conducted daily press briefings known as mañaneras, using them to promote his policies and attack critics, creating an intensely centralised and charismatic political culture. Through these sessions and relentless touring, he built a populist platform that was difficult to counter—one rooted in economic justice rather than culture war rhetoric.
Delivering Results on Inequality
López Obrador’s policies produced measurable results. He:
- Doubled the minimum wage in real terms.
- Expanded social programmes including pensions and youth stipends.
- Banned outsourcing practices used to deny worker benefits.
- Legislated union democracy, requiring contracts to be approved by majority vote.
- Launched major infrastructure projects in Mexico’s historically neglected south.
Between 2018 and 2022, the national poverty rate fell from 42% to 36%, a significant achievement in a country long plagued by inequality.
Why the Far Right Floundered
While populist right-wing figures rose across the globe, Mexico’s far right couldn’t get off the ground. Eduardo Verástegui—a film producer, former actor, and vocal social conservative—tried to channel a Trump-style movement into Mexican politics. But his emphasis on Christian fundamentalism, anti-immigrant sentiment, and gun rights failed to resonate.
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Unable to gather enough signatures to qualify for the presidential ballot, Verástegui’s campaign floundered. His effort revealed a crucial insight: attempts to import far-right politics wholesale from the U.S. don’t automatically succeed elsewhere. Mexico’s political and cultural realities demand more grounded and locally relevant movements.
The Cost of Pragmatism
Despite Morena’s economic achievements, its story isn’t one of unqualified progressive purity. AMLO’s government made significant compromises that softened its left-wing credentials:
- No comprehensive tax reform to redistribute wealth.
- Maintained fiscal austerity, funding social spending by cutting other programmes.
- Struck deals with major corporations and kept investor-friendly policies.
- Cracked down on Central American migrants, cooperating with U.S. demands.
- Avoided strong positions on reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ issues, likely to avoid alienating conservative voters.
- Expanded military power, relying on the army to carry out civil projects despite their record of human rights abuses.
Many feminists, environmentalists, and victims of state violence voiced disillusionment as Morena abandoned some of its early promises. While AMLO established truth commissions to investigate past military abuses, these efforts were eventually sidelined.
Power Consolidation vs Grassroots Engagement
As Morena’s dominance grew, the party opened its doors to politicians from all backgrounds—some of them with questionable records. The goal was to consolidate power, but it led to ideological drift and internal tensions.
Nonetheless, Morena retained a distinct advantage over its rivals: grassroots infrastructure and genuine mobilisation. The party boasts over 2.3 million registered members and aspires to quadruple that number. Party leaders, including President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, have encouraged activists to engage in every municipality—echoing AMLO’s own approach to bottom-up campaigning.
This sustained focus on local organising gives Morena a level of community embeddedness unmatched by any far-right alternative.
Why Mexico’s Case Is Unique
Morena’s success cannot be easily replicated elsewhere. Mexico’s political DNA includes a long history of one-party rule, a colonial legacy, and a deeply embedded culture of inequality and injustice. Additionally, its geopolitical relationship with the United States plays an outsized role in shaping its policy landscape.
The appeal of economic justice in Mexico is deeply personal and visceral. This has allowed a populist left-wing message to take root where culture war distractions have failed to do so.
However, Morena’s reliance on charismatic leadership, media control, and military partnerships means the global left must tread carefully when looking to Mexico for inspiration.
A Movement Both Hopeful and Flawed
As progressives around the world look to counter the rise of right-wing populism, Mexico’s example offers both encouragement and caution. Morena has shown that a political movement anchored in addressing inequality can generate real electoral momentum. It also demonstrates the power of persistent organising, consistent messaging, and direct engagement with local communities.
But that success came with trade-offs—compromises that watered down progressive values in the name of broader appeal and institutional power.
The question for the global left is not whether Morena’s model can be copied, but how much of it should be. For some Mexican leftists, the answer is increasingly uncertain.
Conclusion
Mexico’s left-wing resilience is a testament to the power of economic justice as a political rallying cry. But it also reminds us that populist governance—on the left or right—can be a double-edged sword. The challenge for progressives worldwide is to harness Morena’s strengths while staying true to their values, even when the path to power tempts otherwise.
