Mexico City:Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has signed a decree enacting a constitutional reform that requires candidates for the presidency, state governorships, and the Mexico City mayor's office to hold only Mexican nationality.

According to Anadolu Agency, the reform will take effect from 2028 and mandates that any individual wishing to register as a candidate for these positions must meet the nationality requirement before registering with the National Electoral Institute (INE). Candidates with dual nationality will need to renounce their other nationality and retain only Mexican nationality before completing their electoral registration.

The reform, however, does not prohibit Mexicans from holding dual nationality, but the requirement applies specifically to those seeking the presidency, state governorships, or the Mexico City government. The reform was passed with the necessary majorities in Congress and was ratified by 22 state legislatures before being signed into law.

Sheinbaum has advocated for the measure as a means of bolstering Mexico's sovereignty, ensuring that individuals in the highest elected offices hold a single nationality. This reform has sparked discussions regarding the political rights of Mexicans with dual nationality, including those born abroad to Mexican parents.

While Mexican law permits people born outside the country to Mexican parents to acquire Mexican nationality by birth, the new provision does not eliminate that right but adds a requirement for those seeking the offices specified in the reform. The reform will not affect the 2027 elections, and the government asserts that it aims to strengthen national sovereignty by establishing a single-nationality requirement for key elected positions.