Are executive-legislative relations in the states replicas of the federal dynamics under presidentialisms? Three Mexican States in Comparative Perspecive

• In Event: Political Institutions and Change

Abstract

An emerging body of literature on sub-national studies underscores a caveat against “importing” national theories to the study of the subnational arena. It is possible, then, that the abundant theories that are useful for explaining president-legislature relations in Latin America are not equally valid for the interaction between governor and legislature in the states.

This paper intends to uncover the dynamics of the governor-local Congress relations in three Mexican states, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato and Veracruz. The former is a "swing" state, since the executive and the assembly's majority have been in the hands of the opposition but are currently under the rule of the formerly hegemonic PRI. The second state is the bastion of the center-right opposition PAN, whereas the third has exhibited more of a left-wing orientation. The paper assesses whether the manner in which we conceive executive-relations in Mexico is suitable for understanding sub-national units in presidential regimes.

Author

• Laura D Stevens León