Background on the Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE)
The Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE) is Mexico’s independent, autonomous electoral body responsible for organizing and overseeing elections at the federal level. Established in 2014, following a major electoral reform, the INE plays a crucial role in ensuring free and fair elections in Mexico.
Recent Changes to Transparency Measures
With the deadline approaching, the INE’s general council approved various internal modifications in transparency matters to monitor political parties. This move comes after the extinction of the now-defunct Instituto Nacional de Transparencia, Acceso a la Información y Protección de Datos Personales (INAI).
New Transparency Authority
According to the consejeros electorales, the INE will now be the “guarantor authority” for transparency and data protection concerning political parties. The committee will consist of three consejeras, with a three-year management term, and the presidency will rotate among them.
Competencies of the INE
The electoral organism will have competence to review resources of revision that individuals may file regarding the resolutions made by political parties, as per the law. This introduces two instances with competence to address matters related to public information access and personal data protection by political parties.
Key Responsibilities
The new transparency guarantor for national political parties will be responsible for overseeing, adjudicating, and ensuring that these parties comply with their transparency obligations. This includes managing the information they generate and hold, as well as facilitating the exercise of rights such as access, rectification, cancellation, opposition, and data portability.
These decisions must adhere to the principles governing electoral functions, transparency, information access, and personal data protection.
Integration with the Sistema Nacional de Acceso a la Información Pública
In light of the recent constitutional reform aimed at administrative simplification, which led to the INAI’s extinction, and new transparency laws recognizing authorities as competent for implementing public information access actions, the INE will join the Sistema Nacional de Acceso a la Información Pública (National System for Public Information Access).
The INE’s Presidency will facilitate the system’s operation, while relevant adjustments and guidelines have been established. The Órgano Interno de Control (OIC) will ensure the INE’s transparency.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE)? The INE is Mexico’s autonomous electoral body responsible for organizing and overseeing federal elections.
- What changes were made to the INE’s transparency measures? The INE now serves as the guarantor authority for political party transparency and data protection, introducing two instances to address information access and personal data matters.
- What are the INE’s new responsibilities regarding political parties? The INE will oversee, adjudicate, and ensure compliance with transparency obligations for national political parties, including managing generated information and facilitating data rights exercise.
- How does the INE integrate with the National System for Public Information Access? The INE’s Presidency will facilitate system operation, while the OIC ensures transparency.
