As mentioned in the first paragraph of this chapter, the political parties are fundamental institutions in the construction of a democracy.

The Political Constitution of the Mexican United States (CPEUM) sets forth in its article 41 that the people exercise their sovereignty through the powers of the union and that the renewal of the Legislative and Executive powers is achieved through free, authentic and periodic elections. It also grants the character of entities of public interest and the right to participate in these elections to the national political parties.

In the case of the Federal District, the Government Statute of the Federal District (EGDF) sets forth in its article 120 that the renewal of the local legislative and executive authorities, as well as the heads of the political-administrative organizations of the territorial demarcations, will be carried out through free, authentic and periodic elections and electoral day will be held the first Sunday in July of the respective year. Likewise, Article 121 sets forth that may involve both political parties with national registry, as well as the parties with local registry of the Federal District.

It is important to mention that the reform to the Electoral Code of the Federal District published in the Official Gazette of the Federal District on January 10, 2008, contemplate that the existence of both National Political Parties and Local Political Parties is recognized in the Federal District that both of them have the right to participate in the local elections.

According to these laws, the political parties that participated in the election of governmental entities of the Federal District in the year 2009, were those who have a national registry: Partido Acción Nacional (PAN), Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD), Partido Verde Ecologista de México (PVEM), Convergencia, Partido del Trabajo (PT), Nueva Alianza and Partido Socialdemócrata (PSD).

A synthesis of the most important political, economic and social principles of these political parties is presented following. It is important to mention that the information provides from the official web pages of each party in the Internet and from the Electoral Notebook number 4: Political Parties, prepared by the IEDF in the year 2003.

The approaches correspond exclusively to the points of view of the parties with national registry and in no way represent judgments of value by the Electoral Institute of the Federal District.

Partido Acción Nacional

Date of establishment September 1939

The Partido Acción Nacional (PAN) has as a purpose the organized and permanent civic activity; the active intervention in all aspects of the public life of Mexico, in order to have the national interest prevail over any other partial interest; the recognition of a person’s dignity and the subordination of any individual activity or the state to achieve the common wellbeing.

Important political, economic and social principles

This party in general considers that:

- There is a dynamic order that ranks the functions and interests of the social life.

- That the democracy is a system of life and government based in the equality of all human beings, and therefore they can be responsible of the care and achievement of the common wellbeing.

- That the private property is the most adequate mean to assure the national production and constitutes the support and guarantee of the dignity of the person and the family.

- That the State has authority, not proprietorship in the national economy. Its function is to order the economical activities, so that the economy is stable. It must correct the injustices in the application of the national rent and it must avoid or repress the negative and destructive acts that compromise or weaken the future of the economic structure of the Nation. Likewise, it is also obliged to create and honestly manage the means and essential public institutions to give agility, efficiency and guidance to the economy, to secure the best and most extended usage of the natural resources of the country and the concurrence of all economic labor to the compliance of the purposes of the nation.

- That the person has a spiritual destiny to comply and that the community must assure his freedom and the necessary means to fulfill such destiny. The State has no dominium over the consciences, nor can it proscribe or impose religious convictions, when it does it breaks the unit and the vigor of the Nation, subverts the social order and attacks the human dignity.

- That all socially useful labor must have a fair compensation that allows the employee to live and properly form a family. All person that is fit for the work, must have certainty of a constant opportunity to work.

- That there must be freedom of research, of opinion, scientific or philosophical and freedom of thought.

- That the boundaries of the freedom of expression are the legal ones, imposed by the national interest and the moral laws and for the common wellbeing.

Votes and offices of popular election obtained at the elections of the year 2009 in Mexico City

Official website: Partido Acción Nacional http://www.pan.org.mx

Partido Revolucionario Institucional

Date of establishment: January of 1946

Former names: Partido Nacional Revolucionario (1929), Partido de la Revolución Mexicana (1938).

The pri claims the democratic-liberal thought, the legal order as principle of the civilized coexistence and the nationalism. It considers that the State must be liberal in the politics, social in its purpose and based on the law, honoring the Constitution as maximum expression of the sovereignty and the political covenants.

Important political, economic and social principles

This party considers that:

- Nationalism conjugates freedom, equality and democracy in the defense of the national interest.

- The State is the axis of development, the citizens the engine of transformation of the country and the democracy the bastion to maintain the sovereignty, unit and identity of the Mexicans.

- Social justice is to give to each individual what he is entitled to in accordance to the law and therefore it is a purpose of priority.

- Social justice requires the impulse of a mixed economy system, planned under the guide of the State; it opposes to the accumulation of wealth in few hands; it allows access to the education and labor or includes the right of decent feeding, health, housing, dress, leisure and environment.

- The exercise of power must be carried out within the state of legality whose legal order is the product of the general will. Therefore the legality is guarantee of stability and instrument of social and national transformation.

- The education must be democratic, secular, free and mandatory.

- There must be the right to decent and socially useful labor.

- A remunerating salary; syndicalism and the right to strike are essential postulates in labor matters.

- The domain of all natural resources and the underground corresponds to the Nation.

Separation of the State and the Church is an inalienable historical principle and is a condition for the complete effectiveness of the freedom of thought.

Votes and offices of popular election obtained at the elections of the year 2009 in Mexico City

Official website Partido Revolucionario Institucional http://www.pri.org.mx

Partido de la Revolución Democrática

Date of establishment: May of 1989

The prd considers that México is a free, republican and independent nation, with a multiple ethnic, multiple lingual and multicultural composition, originally sustained in its indigenous communities.  It conducts its activities by pacific and democratic means and it reassures the fundamental principle that the national sovereignty relies essentially and originally in the people and that all public power must be established for its benefit.

Important political, economic and social principles

This party considers that:

- It is necessary to build a just, equalitarian and democratic society that tends to suppress the exploitation of men by men.

- Its activity identifies with the labor, peasant, popular, feminists, student struggles, of the national indigenous movement and of the social progressive movements.

- Politics is the best instrument to transform society, resolve conflicts, and establish consensus and agreements; and to compete for the representation of the citizens in guidance of the government and in the exercise of the power.

- Through the actions of the government and the participation of the society an economic system that improves the level and quality of the life of the people and opens the road for a new way of social wealth distribution is constructed.

- A democratic and social state in which all governmental levels give account to the citizens, in which there is transparency in the administration of resources and efficiency in its governing programs and actions; in which corruption, arbitrariness and authoritarianism are eradicated, must be formed.

- The following are fundamental social rights: feeding, work, education, culture, housing, a healthy environment, rest, leisure, extended and universal sanitary and health coverage and a fair retirement.

- Work is a value and an essential right of the society; it is the principal source of wealth and creativity of the human beings. The creation of stable and well paid jobs, that allow the access to a decent life, should be a priority to the government.

- The State should be secular, tolerant with all ideologies and ways of life, that there shall be a separation between the church and the State and the power must not be used to impose dogmas or religious beliefs.

- There must not be submission to international organizations or foreign parties, and any kind of financing from the exterior or from institutions, organizations or religious groups should be rejected.

Votes and offices of popular election obtained at the elections of the year 2009 in Mexico City

a/ Districts IX and XXX were won in a common candidacy with Del Tabajo and Convergencia parties.

b/ The Borough Coyoacan was won in a common candidacy with the parties Del Tabajo and Convergencia, Azcapotzalco with the party Convergencia and Milpa Alta, Tlahuac y Alvaro Obregon with the party Del Trabajo.

Official Website Partido de la Revolución Democrática http://www.prd.org.mx

Partido del Trabajo

Date of Establishment: December of 1990

The Partido del Trabajo is an organization whose political line is the line of masses. It is born in the core of the social organizations and it is an instrument at the service of the construction of movements and other organizations of the people, having as a purpose that the people conquest more political and economical power.

Important political, economic and social principles

This party considers that:

- Its central ethic and supreme purpose is to serve the people. It aspires to construct the ethic basis of the society of the future by means of the education and the revolutionary ethics that allow the construction of a socialist society, this means humanist, democratic, equalitarian, and fair and of freedom.

- The national sovereignty lies in the people; all public power derives from the people and is instituted for the benefit of the people. The people have the right to alter or modify the form of their government.

- The state of legality, the Constitution and the law and institutions that derive from it must be respected. Therefore, it is obliged to conduct itself by pacific means and for the venue of democracy.

- Freedom of speech, religious beliefs, expression, profession, economic activity, movement, request and association must be respected.

- A new economic order will return the resources and wealth to the society that the great capital has taken away from it. Therefore, the exploitation of men by men will disappear and the emancipated labor will emerge.

- The economy must have as a purpose the human wellbeing and the social development and the State must not lose its character of guide of the national economy and will preserve those strategic areas for the improvement, as oil and the electric industry, among others.

- The constructive and transformer character of labor is the origin of its name as a political party. Therefore, there must be a decent and human labor over the self-borne and communitarian basis over which the society must revolve. This labor-based society must incorporate the constant technological changes to the manufacturing process and the rational use of natural resources.

- The autonomy of the organizations is of the highest importance and therefore it maintains the economic, political and propaganda independence regarding any international or foreign organization, as well as of ministers of cult of any religion or sect and of any foreign power. 

Votes and offices of popular election obtained at the elections of the year 2009 in Mexico City

Official Website Partido del Trabajo http://www.partidodeltrabajo.org.mx

Partido Verde Ecologista de México

Date of Establishment: May 1993

Previous name: Partido Ecologista de México (1991)

The pvem is a political ecologist organization interested mainly in the care and conservation of nature and of the environment, based on the principles of Love, Justice and Freedom; it aspires to the foundation of an ecological society that integrates the different economic, social, political and cultural spheres of the society in harmony with nature. Its social principles are self-sufficiency, decentralization and harmonic coexistence with nature.

Important political, economic and social principles

This party considers that:

- The authentic cultural values of Mexico should be recovered and strengthen, specially the indigenous knowledge and tradition, that are deeply respectful of the living human beings, animals and vegetables, as well as the natural elements.

- That nature and environment are the most important patrimony of humanity and constitute the real wealth of a nation and therefore should be cared for as a priority.

- The human rights are a central part of its position in the society and it claims the equality of rights and opportunities for all Mexicans in the fields of health, housing, education, culture and leisure.

- Its political tendency is the ecologist supported in granting priority to the care and preserve nature and the environment. And therefore, as opposed to the rest of the political parties, it substitutes the competence for the integration of efforts around a common objective, which is the defense of life and its habitat. On this basis, it participates as a political party in the processes that regulate the collective relations of the society, this means, in politics.

- It is important to establish new democratic ways of coexistence among the society, the political parties and the government.

- The use of pacific means and of the democratic channels instituted for the conduction of its public and private activities is essential.

- It does not accept covenants or agreements which bind it or subordinate it to any international organization, or that makes them dependent of entities or political parties domestic or foreign.

Votes and offices of popular election obtained at the elections of the year 2009 in Mexico City

As part of the coalition “Unidos por la Ciudad” formed with the Partido Revolucionario Institucional

Official Website Partido Verde Ecologista de México www.partidoverde.org.mx

Convergencia

Date of establishment: August 1999

Convergencia is a party that subscribes the values and principles of the renewed social democracy. Its political action is supported on the democratic nationalism and is fed of the struggles of the people to reach its independence and achieve the defense of its sovereignty; which expresses the most valuable features of the communitarian identity, of the multiethnic roots and of the collective convictions.

Important political, economic and social principles

This party considers that:

- The social democracy represents a political orientation that accepts the system of free market as the best way to organize the manufacturing of products and services.

- Society, through the policies generated by its representatives in government and through the participation of its citizens, should be the promoter of its own development, instead of the models of paternalist social attention, of discriminatory character, that consider the population as an entity incapable of self guidance.

- The State has the obligation of participating in the regulation of the economic processes ensuring society of a fair distribution of the national wealth; individual freedom and of personal choice, maintaining peace and social stability, guaranteeing the safety of the people and of its goods; it is also its unavoidable duty to maintain the sovereignty of the Nation over the strategic natural resources and the preservation of the environment and biodiversity.

- There will be development when there is a social politic of state that encourages equality of opportunities for all the population, moderates the effects of poverty and is instrument to achieve a better distribution of the national wealth.

- The organizational forms that arise spontaneously within the communities should be promoted and respected.

- Politics imply the pacific solution of controversies and not the collision between blind forces. Its practice implies the prudent and timely exercise of power, and the use of its instruments such as negotiation, dialog, consensus, tolerance and the use of arguments and not of authoritarian and repressive actions which enables the solution of conflicts.

- Each one should be given that which corresponds to him according to his effort and in accordance with the law, insofar injustice is produced when unbalances and inequalities are produced in the human relations, which originate the social conflicts.

Votes and offices of popular election obtained at the elections of the year 2009 in Mexico City

* Pursuant to the Agreement of electoral total coalition for the election of Head of Government of the Federal District, deputies of the ALDF by the principle of plurality system and Proportional Representation, as well as heads of the boroughs entered into by and between the political parties de la Revolución Democrática, del Trabajo and Convergencia.

Official Website Convergencia http://www.convergencia.org.mx

Nueva Alianza

Date of Establishment: August 2005.

Nueva Alianza is a democratic political organization, inclusive, representative and young. It considers that the main objective of politics is the general wellbeing created through the interaction of the market economy, democracy and social development, actions that are intertwined and that reinforce each other to generate prosperity. It recognizes the Constitution as the supreme law and it encourages its observance as well as the respect for the laws and institutions that derive from it. One of its fundamental principles is to conduct its activities by pacific and democratic means.

Important political, economic and social principles

This party considers that:

- The democratic government is a representation delegated to the sovereign people and it recognizes within it the minorities as well as the majorities. Thus the combination of democracy with an efficient economic market regime, will allow the Mexicans to reach the general wellbeing.

- A good government is an honest, transparent and respectful administration of the national affairs. 

- The respect to the state of legality must be the basis of the sustained and sustainable development of the country and therefore it is important to update the laws, rules and norms that govern the society.

- The market economy is the most efficient way to organize the economic relations with the unavoidable participation of the State who is in charge of guaranteeing the social development with equality of opportunities, the work, the fight to poverty and marginalization, with the purpose of assuring the access to education, health and housing for the Mexicans.

- A participative development must be generated where the society and government are conscious of their responsibility in the progress of the country. This model will allow fighting inequality, discrimination and the levels of marginality. The state must recognize and attend to the problem of the lack of labor opportunities, the abandonment of the fields and the lack of scientific and technological development.

- Education is the mean to achieve freedom and guarantee social justice as well as equal opportunities, in a perspective where society places the scientific and technological development as the strategic space for the human and economic development.  Education is a compromise and a responsibility shared by the society and the State but it should be the later to guarantee its mandatory character, secularism and the access to all the educational services of quality.

- The non intervention and sovereignty are the central axis of the foreign policies and should be defended with the purpose of maintaining the autonomy and profiting of the useful aspects of the free market for facing the national problems.

- There must be a sustainable development reason for which it proposes the introduction of better regulatory and technological practices, to preserve the renewable and non renewable natural resources in benefit of the future generations.

Votes and offices of popular election obtained at the elections of the year 2009 in Mexico City

Official Website Nueva Alianza http://www.nueva-alianza.org.mx

Partido Socialdemócrata

Date of establishment: January of 2005.

It was founded as Alternativa Socialdemócrata y Campesina, in 2007 its name changed for Alternativa Socialdemócrata, Partido Político Nacional and, in 2008 had a new name, Partido Socialdemócrata. The construction of an alternative of political representation and government is proposed, inspire on a new political culture, where the citizens participate in the decision making and in the national affairs.

Important political, economic and social principles

This party considers that:

- It must be conducted by the pacific means and the democratic venue, observing the Political Constitution of the Mexican United States and respecting the laws and institutions that derive from it.

- A market economy is required with different manners of proprietorship and oriented by a democratic government that secures the public interest and national sovereignty.

- The economical development is not an end itself, but a mean to achieve a better quality of life for the present and future generations. The economical and social development requires a fail and equitable distribution of wealth sustained in growth with employment; in a financial system that promotes the internal savings and increases the capability of self financing that guarantees the investment in education and training to assure the access to dully remunerated employments.

- It is necessary to diversify the economical relationships of Mexico with the world and to recuperate the roll of leadership in the articulation of Latin American economies.

- The individual freedom, the freedom of conscience, cult and expression, as well as the right to intimacy and privacy, are part of a fair social order. Its antithesis is the intolerance that must be fought in all its expressions. The defense of the freedom of conscience thus requires the definition of a secular State and of the system of public secular education.

- The social security is an inalienable right of every person and it is an essential part of the social politics of the State, thus it cannot be delegated to the individuals, nor can it be reduced to the assistance and volunteer forms.

- The sustained and sustainable development supposes the conscience and social participation over the protection of the natural resources and improving the environment, as well as the equitable access to the natural resources, in order for them to be used also by the future generations. 

Votes and offices of popular election obtained at the elections of the year 2009 in Mexico City

Local Political Parties

Until December of 2007, the electoral law in Mexico City did not allow the participation of local Political Parties in the elections of the Federal District. This situation was modified with the reforms to the Electoral Code of the Federal District (CEDF) published at January 10, 2008 in the Official Gazette of the Federal District. With these reforms came the recognition of the Local Political Parties and, besides of ratifying the same rights and duties of the national political parties, it entitles them to participate in the electoral process of local character.

The CEDF sets forth that only the Local Political Associations (APL) can be established as Local Political Parties. For such purpose, they must prepare a declaration of principles and in accordance to these principles, elaborate their programs of activities and the by-laws that regulate their activities. In this manner the APL that decides to establish as a Local Political Party shall notify the IEDF of this intention between the 2nd and 15th day of January previous to the elections (CEDF, article 22).

In order to be able to constitute themselves as Local Political Parties the APLs must evidence before the IEDF, among other things, the following:

I. That they have a number of affiliates no less than 0.5% of the Voter List in the Federal District, distributed in each one of the Boroughs, without the number of members in each Borough being less than 200 citizens.

II. Hold a Meeting in each Borough before a Notary Public and a representative of the IEDF, which contains the approval of the declaration of principles, the by-laws and the program of activities; subscribe the lists of affiliates, elect the delegational directive entity of the organization, as well as the delegates for the Local Constitutive Meeting of the party.

III. Hold a Local Constitutive Meeting which contains the approval of the declaration of principles, the by-laws and the program of activities.

Once the foregoing has been carried out, during the month of July prior to the elections, the APL must file the application of registry formally with the IEDF, attached with the declaration of principles, the action program and the approved by-laws, the Lists of affiliates by Borough; the Minutes of the Meetings held in each Borough and the of the Local Constitutive Meeting.

The IEDF has a term of 30 calendar days to issue the record that evidences the registry of the organizations that have complied with the requirements, which will be published in the Official Gazette of the Federal District.

In case that the answer is negative, the legally grounded resolution will be noticed to the interested parties, who can go before the Electoral Court of the Federal District if they differ from this resolution. In such case, said Court must issue a definite resolution on this case in a term no longer than thirty natural days from the date the remedy was filed.

It is important to highlight that there is any local political party in the Federal District, up to date.