Electoral Competition and Institutional Change in Mexico (review)
Overall in assessing the party's political abilities, Mizrahi concludes that PAN leaders have demonstrated they are better managers in the sense of achieving integrity and efficiency, but lack a sensitivity to and ability to address the political side of politics. As she points out, they are able to win elections, but quickly distance themselves from the very public which has made their electoral success possible. Leadership tensions accentuate their political problems. Once in office, the newcomers tend to ignore longtime party activists and thus support from that core group is lukewarm. She correctly concludes that while the party's internal divisions 'are not as sharp as the other two leading parties (PRI and PRD), the PAN nevertheless clings to too many traditions from the past. Most of Vicente Fox's problems can be foretold from this work. Mizrahi accurately argues that the fate of the PAN as a national governing party is central to the fate of Mexican democracy.