What to Know About Mexico's Presidential Polls that Will Likely Put a Woman in Power

Mexico City: Mexicans will vote Sunday in historic elections weighing gender, democracy and populism, as y chart country's path forward in voting showed by cartel violence. With two women leing contest, Mexico will likely elect its first female president – a major step in a country long marked by its “macho” culture.

election will also be biggest in country's history. More than 20,000 congressional and local positions are up for grabs, according to National Electoral Institute.

number of contested posts has fed bloodshed during campaigns, as criminal groups have used local elections as an opportunity to exert power. A toxic slate of cartels and gangs have battled for turf and more than 20 people seeking political office have been killed just this year.

Also at play is political legacy of President Andrés Manuel López Obror and Mexico's often tumultuous relationship with United States.

Who are candidates in Mexico's Presidential Election?

Claudia Sheinbaum, former mayor of Mexico City, has maintained a comfortable double-digit le in polls for months. She promises to be a continuation of populist leer López Obror and is backed by his ruling Morena party.

Trained as a scientist, Sheinbaum has h to walk a fine line to carve out her own image while highlighting her connection to López Obror, though she lacks charisma that attracted many to her political ally.

Xóchitl Gálvez, an opposition senator and tech entrepreneur, represents a coalition of parties that have h little historically to unite m or than ir recent opposition to López Obror. 

Gálvez is a fierce critic of outgoing president who doesn't shy away from verbal sparring, but who hasn't appeared to ignite much fervour for her Strength and Heart for Mexico coalition.

third candidate is little-known Jorge Álvarez Máynez, a former federal congressman from Citizen Movement party. He has focused on trying to scoop up young vote, but has not gotten much traction.

What has President López Obror meant for this election?

Elected in 2018, López Obror tapped into large swas of population like working-class and poor, rural voters who h long felt forgotten by political system. He me combatting corruption his top priority. Despite not being on ballot, much of Sunday's election has revolved around him.

Though he remains highly popular, López Obror has shown himself to be intolerant of criticism and oversight. And his critics say his moves to attack judiciary, slash funding to Mexico's electoral agency and expand military's responsibilities in civilian life have eroded Mexican democracy.

opposition has responded with large protests.

López Obror is considered Sheinbaum's mentor and if she is elected, it would cement his legacy and show that his Morena party can survive beyond his presidency.

When are Mexico's elections and how does voting work?

Parties selected ir candidates well before official start of campaigning for presidential, congressional and municipal elections. On June 2, millions of voters will cast for ir new leers in a single round of voting. winner of highly anticipated presidential election will serve a six-year term.

While most eyes are on presidential race, Mexicans will also vote for 128 senators, 500 congressional representatives and for nearly 20,000 local government positions.

Why has campaign cycle been so violent?

Under López Obror's “hugs not bullets” policy, which emphasises dressing societal root causes of violence, analysts say cartels and or criminal groups have expanded ir control. 

Homicide rates have remained stubbornly high despite promises by López Obror to ease violence. López Obror has in many cases refused to confront criminal groups, and activists say his government has tried to reduce official count of Mexico's forcibly disappeared in le up to election.

Cartels and or criminal groups see elections – particularly local elections – as an opportunity to make power grabs. y've warred for turf and at least 145 people tied to politics have been slain by organised crime this year, according to tracking by human rights organization Data Civica.

Violence has been particularly severe in states where criminal groups are fighting for territory like Chiapas and Guerrero in south, and Michoacan in central Mexico.

Mexico's first woman president 

Electing a female president would be a huge step in a country with soaring levels of gender-based violence and deep gender disparities.

Mexico still has a famously intense “machismo,” or culture of male chauvinism, that has created large economic and social disparities in society. In its most extreme form, misogyny is expressed in high rates of femicides, and things like acid attacks against women.

Yet a historic number of women in socially conservative country are taking up leership and political roles.

That’s in part due to a deces-long push by authorities for greater representation in politics, including laws that require political parties to have half of ir congressional candidates be women. Since 2018, Mexico’s Congress has h a 50-50 gender split, and number of female governors has shot up.

Both frontrunner Sheinbaum and Gálvez have promised to dress high rates of gender-based violence and gender disparities if y win.