Cooperation or Conflict? Executive-Legislative Relations during the Felipe Calderón Administration.

Abstract

The principal aim of this paper is to evaluate two key aspects of executive-legislature relations during the administration of President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa: the approval ratings of the legislative agenda of the executive and the amendments or vetoes made by the president to the bills of law approved by lawmakers. It also examines whether any of the constitutional changes approved over this period altered the balance of power in the relationship between the president and Congress. The analysis indicates that neither the presidential nor the multi-party system, nor the lack of a majority for the president’s party in Congress led to legislative paralysis, but they did hinder the approval of a number of key reforms for the country.