Introduction
There is near-unanimous consensus among Mexico’s polling industry: In the first half of her term, Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico City’s chief of government, has matched the approval rating of her predecessor, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), at 83%.
The Rise in Support: Transfer or Temporary Effect?
As pollsters seek to explain this phenomenon, a compelling hypothesis has emerged: Sheinbaum’s daily press conferences and the continuation of AMLO’s austere governance model have helped restore confidence in institutions, according to David Adler, Vanessa Romero, and Michael Galant. They argue that the Fourth Transformation is a “politico-economic” project that realizes national development through democratic planning.
Historical Context of Mexico’s Economic Policy
The authors summarize half a century of Mexico’s economic policy history in one paragraph. Starting from the 1980s, the PRI opted for radical structural adjustments and reduced its planning role to selecting a presidential candidate by “dedazo.” The PAN (2000-2012) further pushed structural reforms. In contrast, the Fourth Transformation aims at macro-policy development based on developplism, calling citizens to hold Morena accountable for its “100 commitments” at the start of their presidencies.
Morena: Corporate-Clientelist Machine or Changing Perception of National Governance?
The article’s authors, affiliated with the progressive International and based at the Jain Family Institute in New York, explore whether Morena is merely a replica of the PRI’s corporate-clientelist machine or if Sheinbaum’s electoral margin indicates a shift in Mexicans’ perception of their national government from a “failed state” to an enviable post-neoliberal governance model.
Authors’ Backgrounds and Affiliations
Vanessa Romero Rocha, co-author with David Adler and Michael Galant, is affiliated with the Center for Economic and Political Research and a militant of the International Progresista. Adler, previously an advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders and working with former Greek Minister Yanis Varoufakis, has studied in Mexico as a Fulbright scholar, focusing on housing and popular self-organization.
Austerity Republicanism: A Strategic Pillar of the Fourth Transformation
The “austerity republicanism” is a strategic pillar of the Fourth Transformation, which, from this perspective, has already achieved historical significance by revitalizing a seemingly terminal democracy. The slogan “With the people, everything; without the people, nothing” embodies both a strategy and a call to action: building and maintaining popular support for Morena is the only path to genuine, lasting transformation. As Mexico faces Trump’s hemispheric dominance ambition, the toughest test for this strategy may still be ahead.
