When comparing Mexico with the United States political systems
, several key differences and similarities can be identified.
1. Mexico has a federal presidential representative democratic republic system, while the United States has a federal presidential constitutional republic system.
2. The President of Mexico serves a single six-year term without the possibility of reelection, whereas the President of the United States can serve up to two four-year terms.
3. Mexico has a multi-party system, with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), National Action Party (PAN), and Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) being the most prominent parties. The United States has a two-party system dominated by the Democratic and Republican parties.
4. The Mexican Congress consists of a Senate and Chamber of Deputies, while the United States Congress consists of a Senate and House of Representatives.
5. In Mexico, the Senate is composed of 128 members serving six-year terms, with 96 elected through a plurality voting system and 32 elected through proportional representation. In the United States, the Senate is composed of 100 members, with each state electing two senators.
6. The Mexican Chamber of Deputies is composed of 500 members serving three-year terms, with 300 elected through single-member districts and 200 elected through proportional representation. The United States House of Representatives is composed of 435 members serving two-year terms, with each member elected through single-member districts.
7. Both Mexico and the United States have independent judicial branches that safeguard the rule of law and interpret the constitution.
8. Both countries have a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful.
9. Citizenship requirements to participate in elections are slightly different between the two countries. In Mexico, citizens must be 18 years old to vote, while in the United States, citizens must be 18 years old as well, but some states allow 17-year-olds to vote in primaries if they will turn 18 before the general election.