Democratization and authoritarian party survival: Mexico's PRI

Mexico's Party of the Institutional Revolution (PRI) held executive power continuously from 1929 to 2000, when its candidate suffered a shocking defeat in the presidential elections. This study, which covers the years 1980-2012, uses an institutional focus to understand why the PRI survived its defeat and loss of the resources of the executive bureaucracy to return victoriously after two six-year terms out of office. This work offers a model of the difficulties authoritarian parties must face after they are ousted from the executive through fair and free elections: the danger of dramatic fractures that could destroy the party and the possibility of mass voter rejection

By focusing on political institutions to understand the new power-sharing agreement between the national party headquarters and the party's governors, this work explores why Mexico's hegemonic PRI was able to survive out of power after it was ousted from the executive in 2000.

By focusing on political institutions to understand the new power-sharing agreement between the national party headquarters and the party's governors, this work explores why Mexico's hegemonic PRI was able to survive out of power after it was ousted from the executive in 2000

The dinosaur that did not die : Mexico's PRI from 1982 to 2012 -- Theorizing authoritarian party survival -- The PRI under hegemony -- The transition to democracy and the struggles to take over the party -- The challenges of (authoritarian) party survival after democratization -- Voting behavior in Mexico -- Changes to candidate selection and political recruitment -- Changing federal deputy campaigns -- Authority and delegation in the chamber of deputies -- Comparing the PRI experience in Kenya and Taiwan