International Debates Forum 2023-2024: Promoting Democratic Participation

The National Electoral Institute (INE), in accordance with various provisions that govern the organization of electoral processes, carries out the fulfillment of its powers through permanent commissions and other temporary ones for specific functions related to electoral processes.

Thus, the General Council determined the creation of the Temporary Debating Commission for the coordination and operation of these information mechanisms that are fundamental in a democratic system, since they have been established as instruments that disseminate to citizens the most relevant aspects of the political offers of candidates from the different political forces to the various popularly elected positions.

Specifically, the electoral legislation and the INE Election Regulations determine that debates constitute a tool for the presentation of ideas and confrontation of projects that benefit society from various ideological and practical conceptions among the candidates, as well as that it is the INE, the authority responsible for organizing and carrying out debates between candidates for the Presidency of the Republic and also favoring debates for other popularly elected positions, which is why it recently approved the General Criteria to promote the proper development of debates between the candidacies for federal deputies and senators.

Under this context and in order to be at the forefront and have better elements for the organization of the presidential debates in 2024, the Temporary Commission, prior to the start of the pre-campaigns, carried out on November 8 the “ International Debates Forum 2023-2024” with the purpose of creating a space for the exchange of knowledge and experiences, as well as good practices in the organization of these democratic exercises at the state, national and international level that allow the INE to observe and detect areas of opportunity that may affect the planning, design, organization, production and transmission of the debates.

The specific program of the Forum was developed through 5 working groups. In the first, called Local debates, experiences and learning, electoral counselors from 7 states participated, who presented their experiences in organizing debates for local officials, such as governorships, and in which they highlighted the importance of privileging the confrontation of ideas. the role of moderation and the presence of the public.

In table 2, Formats of debates in the world, which included specialists from Spain, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Jamaica and the United States, where the importance of equal conditions for men and women prevailing in the debates was highlighted. participating candidates, the dynamics used in the same format in the organization of the debates, as well as the importance of the use of social networks and digital platforms, as well as transparency in the choice of citizens’ questions.

In table 3, Citizen representation through political parties in the debates, the representations of the different political forces expressed their opinions and concerns on issues related to the number of debates, innovative formats, moderation, citizen participation and voting informed.

In table 4, called #Debates2024MX, rules and formats, the importance of moderators, audience participation – including the digital audience -, interaction between debaters, production styles, among other aspects was highlighted. .

Finally, in table 5, Challenges in dissemination, media and social platforms, in which media representatives emphasized the importance of approaching citizens, new audiences through strategies that include both the media traditional as well as digital platforms.

These exercises promoted by the Temporary Debates Commission will allow us to have better elements and tools that achieve debates with new, flexible and dynamic formats that allow ideas and projects to be presented and compared between the candidates with the aim of letting society know first-hand. these proposals and those who present them in an agile, direct manner that interests voters, to ensure that voters, among other things, cast an informed and reasoned vote on June 2 for the benefit of our democracy.

Check the article at The universal.

2023-11-14 18:04:05
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