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Mexico ruling party likely to retain power after midterm elections Mexico elections: President's party set to retain power
(about 3 hours later)
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and his Institutional Revolutionary Party will keep control of Congress, preliminary election results suggest. In Mexico's elections for Congress, President Enrique Pena Nieto's Institutional Revolutionary Party and its allies look set to retain control.
The PRI is set to win about 30%, with the conservative National Action Party on about 22%, said the head of the National Electoral Institute. On current projections, the PRI will win around 30% of the vote and see its number of seats drop slightly.
On current projections, the PRI will see its number of seats drop slightly. An independent candidate has won a state governorship for the first time since legal change allowed that.
The run-up to the poll was marked by violence with drug cartels blamed for the deaths of several candidates.The run-up to the poll was marked by violence with drug cartels blamed for the deaths of several candidates.
On Sunday morning, protesters and parents of 43 students who disappeared last year burned election material in the town of Tixtla. The head of the National Electoral Institute, Lorenzo Cordova, said that the president's party and its allies look set to win between 246 and 263 seats in the 500-member lower chamber.
They say they want answers about what happened to the students before elections are held. The opposition conservative National Action Party has won around 22% of the vote, he said.
A dissident teachers' union also burned ballots and ransacked offices of political parties to express its anger at education reforms. The government suffered some setbacks. It lost the governorship of the northern state of Nuevo Leon to an independent, Jaime Rodriguez Calderon.
The outspoken rancher, also known as "El Bronco" or the gruff one, is the first independent to win a state governorship.
His victory is seen as a wake-up call for the country's traditional parties, says the BBC's Katy Watson in Mexico City.
As voting got under way on Sunday, a dissident teachers' union burned ballots and ransacked offices of political parties in the south of the country to express its anger at the president's proposed education reforms.
Election materials were also burned by protesters in the town of Tixtla, where 43 trainee teachers are believed to have been killed last year after police handed them over to drug gangs.
Analysis by Katy Watson, BBC News, Mexico CityAnalysis by Katy Watson, BBC News, Mexico City
Ahead of the elections, there was a great deal of pessimism - the feeling among many that votes do not really matter, politicians here are all the same, and violence will continue no matter what.Ahead of the elections, there was a great deal of pessimism - the feeling among many that votes do not really matter, politicians here are all the same, and violence will continue no matter what.
But at a polling stations on Sunday, in relatively peaceful Mexico City, there was a sense of duty among many - that voting was the only way to make a difference. Asked what their main concern was and almost without exception, the response among voters was: 'Security.' People here are worried about where the country is heading. But at a polling station on Sunday, in relatively peaceful Mexico City, there was a sense of duty among many - that voting was the only way to make a difference. Asked what their main concern was and almost without exception, the response among voters was: 'Security.' People here are worried about where the country is heading.
Despite President Pena Nieto's promises to restore peace in Mexico, these elections have proved otherwise. They have been some of the most violent in recent history.Despite President Pena Nieto's promises to restore peace in Mexico, these elections have proved otherwise. They have been some of the most violent in recent history.
President Pena Nieto deployed federal police and troops to guard polling stations.
His spokesman Eduard Sanchez said on Saturday: "Mexicans have the right to vote in peace... [we] will take all necessary measures within the framework of legality'' to protect the elections.
Ahead of the polls opening, the CNTE teachers' union attacked the offices of five political parties in Chiapas state in the south of the country.Ahead of the polls opening, the CNTE teachers' union attacked the offices of five political parties in Chiapas state in the south of the country.
In Guerrero state, explosive devices were thrown into a conservative party's office.In Guerrero state, explosive devices were thrown into a conservative party's office.
Meanwhile in Oaxaca, as well as Guerrero, tens of thousands of ballot papers were burnt by protesters.Meanwhile in Oaxaca, as well as Guerrero, tens of thousands of ballot papers were burnt by protesters.
A former mayor was shot dead outside a polling station in the same state.A former mayor was shot dead outside a polling station in the same state.
A number of candidates and numerous campaign workers have also been killed in drug-related violence.