Movement for Democratic Rebirth
The Movement for Democratic Rebirth (Spanish: Movimiento por el Renacer Democrático; MRD) is a Mejican paleo-progressive political party founded in 2021. It was founded in December 2021 by Gabino Nanclares following the 2021 Popular Progressive Party leadership election, which he narrowly lost against the neo-progressive Camila Lobato.
The MRD took a significant fraction of members and voters from the old PPP, positioning itself as a more moderate alternative in the midst of the rise of new progressive leadership within the party. The party's formation was rooted in the disillusionment with the PPP's perceived radical shift and the failures of the party's administration to form a government in the 2020 general elections, during which the PPP placed first. Julián Newsom, president of the party, faced a motion of no confidence from within, reflecting the internal discord regarding the party's ideological direction. Lobato and Nanclares emerged as youthful potential candidates, with Nanclares representing the PPP's "old guard", and Lobato representing a new wave of progressive politics.
Following the December 2021 election, which Nanclares denounced as rigged and orchestrated by the party's new establishment to suppress dissenting voices, he ultimately separated from the PPP to form the MRD, together with a faction of disenchanted former PPP members and new political activists who shared a commitment to traditional progressive ideals, such as technocracy, positivism, and social welfare. Technocracy, in particular, played a pivotal role in the party's platform, emphasizing the belief that administrative expertise and scientific knowledge should guide governance. This focus on evidence-based policies and meritocratic principles was in direct contrast to what Nanclares described as the "grievance-fueled identity politics" of the PPP's emerging leadership.
In the 2022 Mejican legislative election, while the MRD only managed to obtain half as many votes as the PPP, it took 54 seats, an overwhelming majority of which were gained in PPP-dominated circumscriptions, leading to a significant loss of the PPP's participation in the Chamber of Deputies. The ideological shift away from the PPP continued throughout the Mejican invasion of Central America, which began in January 2023. While the PPP thoroughly denounced the government's military actions, branding them as imperialistic, the MRD adopted a more cautious yet still critical stance. Later, as the Law of Protection and Annexation was passed, formally announcing the annexation of two new provinces, Belice and Los Altos, the MRD found itself grappling with its position, toeing the line between critique and compliance.
In November 2023, the PPP and the Unified Socialist Party of Mejico were dissolved on anti-Mejican grounds, leaving the MRD as one of the main opposition parties together with the Popular Organization Party. Nanclares and Emperor Agustín VI reached an informal agreement known as the Pact of the Basilica, reaching a mutual understanding of non-hostile engagement. Nanclares and the MRD reaffirmed their loyalty to the Mejican state and they were granted leniency regarding their dissent. Many in the Mejican left wing viewed the pact as a betrayal, leading to the harassment of Nanclares and other members of his party.