Mexico could elect its first female president next year

On June 4th voters in the state of Mexico, the most populous in the country of the same name, will elect a new governor. The vote is widely seen as a testing ground for general elections due next year. Delfina Gómez, a former education minister, is polling far ahead of her rival. If she wins, it will suggest her party, Morena, is well positioned for next year’s polls. Morena was founded by Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Mexico’s leader. He cannot run again. As a result the presidential vote next year could see another woman win big: Claudia Sheinbaum, the mayor of Mexico City. She would be the first female head of state. But she could struggle to shake off the legacy of Mr López Obrador, her mentor.