Mexican president seeks election reform

Mexico City - Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Thursday proposed reforms to the country's election laws that would create run-off elections for the presidency and allow the re-election of lawmakers. The proposal would institute a run-off election for the presidency if no candidate receives 50 per cent plus one vote in the first round. Calderon is aware of the contention that can result from a close election after he won office in 2006 with just a 0.56 percentage point lead over his opponent Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Calderon's reform proposal would for the first time also allow mayors and members of the National Congress to run for re-election. The presidency would still be limited to one term.

If adopted, the reforms would also allow referenda and independent candidates to appear on the ballot. The number of representatives in the lower House of Deputies would be reduced to 400 from 500 and the upper Senate would be decreased to 96 members from 128.

The reforms must be approved by both houses of the National Congress.