Mexico poised to elect first female president: 3 essential reads on landmark vote

The future is (probably) female. Julio Cesar Aguilar and Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images by Matt Williams, The Conversation Mexicans will go to the polls on June 2, 2024, to pick a president following an election campaign marred by violence and divisive political rhetoric. Polls suggest that ruling party candidate Claudia Sheinbaum will win, holding off rival Xóchitl Gálvez, who heads up a left-right coalition. Unpredictability over the size of the turnout may remain a factor, but barring any major shocks, Mexico will have its first woman president when all the votes are counted. Scholars writing for The Conversation U.S. have discussed what this gender landmark will mean for Mexico, among other issues. Here are three stories that explore the significance of the 2024 Mexican election. 1. Toward gender equality? Much has been made of the fact that Mexico is about to elect a female president. But does that reflect real gender equality in the country’s politics? Xavier Medina Vidal and Christopher Chambers-Ju, scholars of Mexican politics and gender at the University of Texas at Arlington, tackle that question. They note that while women already make up half of Mexico’s Congress and are in top political and judicial posts, that tells...