The Sunday Subject – June 9, 2024

Claudia Sheinbaum was elected as Mexico’s first female president.

Sheinbaum, the former mayor of Mexico City, and her Morena party won in a landslide in Sunday’s elections. Incumbent president Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he would pursue 20 constitutional changes, backed by Sheinbaum, after his Morena party won a two-thirds majority in Congress. Critics worry the Morena supermajority will boost López Obrador’s post-presidency influence, as he controls the party, and further erode checks and balances.

New York City canceled its plan to introduce congestion pricing on cars driving downtown.

The program was scheduled to begin on June 30th but has been postponed indefinitely. It was predicted to raise $1bn annually for capital projects by New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Voting began in the European Union for elections to the 720-member European Parliament. 

Voting takes place from June 6th to 9th; more than 350 million people are eligible to vote. An informal coalition between the center left, center right, and liberals is expected to win a majority again, but the parties of the populist right are also expected to make gains.

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