Mexico’s Next President: Challenges and Recommendations

The 2024 presidential elections will mark a milestone in Mexico’s history and will test the nation’s democratic system. Millions of Mexican citizens will go to the polls on June 2 to elect a new president, all members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic, as well as eight governors, Mexico City’s Head of Government, 31 local congresses, and other representatives around the country. These elections will be the largest in Mexico’s history and for the first time, a woman could be selected to lead the country for the next six years. 

These elections are significant not solely due to their size nor the gender of possible victors but also a result of the breadth and depth of the issues that will confront whoever takes office on October 1, 2024. All new leaders take office facing challenges and opportunities and Mexico’s next president will be no different. It is worth noting, however, that this presidential transition is a full two months shorter as inauguration day was moved forward from the traditional December 1 date.  

Given the panoply of issues that will face the new president and the limited time available to develop strategies to address them, the Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute prepared this booklet of recommendations on six (energy, migration, nearshoring, security, USMCA and North America, and water) of the most salient issues for consideration by the presidential candidates and their campaign teams. Each of these issues is relevant in Mexico, to the Mexico – US bilateral relationship, and to citizens on both sides of the border.