With levels of public support rarely seen in a first year of governing a country, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo enters her first State of the Nation address with record high approval ratings. According to a poll by Enkoll for El País and W Radio, published on August 27, the president enjoys a 79% approval rating, just 11 months into her term as the first woman president in Mexico’s history.
Sheinbaum’s popularity reflects a favorable public mood: 68% of respondents believe the country is either “improving” or “doing as well as before” under her leadership. This confidence comes at a key moment, as the President will deliver her first official report on September 1 before Congress and the nation.
Other surveys confirm the trend. A poll by El Financiero found that 74% approve of Sheinbaum’s performance since taking office on October 1, 2024. Mitofsky’s poll for El Economista places her approval rating at 71.4%. Together, these figures indicate that Sheinbaum maintains higher approval levels than any of her recent predecessors at the same stage of their administrations.
Mitofsky’s study also revealed that 93.4% of Mexicans want Sheinbaum to succeed, a striking indication of national unity around her presidency. In addition, 65.8% of respondents said the country is in better condition compared to previous years—strengthening the administration’s narrative of stability and progress.
Unprecedented Support in Recent History
Sheinbaum’s strong standing contrasts with the trajectory of past presidents. At the end of their first year in office, Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s approval rating was 68% (Mitofsky, 2019), Enrique Peña Nieto hovered around 55% in 2013, and Felipe Calderón about 57% in 2007. Vicente Fox registered 61% in 2001.
With an average approval of roughly 75% across major polls, Sheinbaum surpasses all of her predecessors at this stage, making her one of the most popular presidents in Mexico’s recent history.
In her first state of the nation report, Sheinbaum is expected to highlight progress in security, social programs, infrastructure, foreign policy, and prevention measures in health and the environment. Her administration has repeatedly emphasized social justice, a strengthened welfare state, and the fight against corruption as the cornerstones of her government.
With an approval rating approaching 80%, September 1 will be more than an exercise in protocol—it will serve as a snapshot of the political strength Sheinbaum carries into her second year in office, and a message of stability for both domestic and international audiences.
Mexican Press Agency is part of ALMA, which is dedicated to news and information about Mexico and Mexicans in the United States and is a fiscally sponsored project of Social Focus, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Redwood City, California.
