The PAN faces its future in crucial elections amid discontent and renewal.

The National Action Party (PAN) is at a crucial moment in its history, as its members prepare to elect a new leader in an environment marked by controversy and internal struggle. Ricardo Anaya, who has exercised significant control over the party, is facing questioning that places him alongside historical figures who, in their time, were seen as local bosses. His leadership style has been compared to that of Roberto Madrazo in the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), who used his influence to impose his presidential candidacy in 2006. The controversy surrounding Anaya intensified after the 2018 elections, where his political strategy was severely tarnished by the departure of Margarita Zavala, who at that time was the best-positioned candidate and had managed to tie in the polls with Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The internal maneuvers to displace Zavala not only generated discontent but also led to the resignation of her husband, former president Felipe Calderón, highlighting a deep rift within the party. In an attempt to replicate López Obrador's success, Anaya embarked on a series of tours across the country. However, he lacked the emotional connection and authenticity that characterize the current president. Political reality caught up with him when he was forced to leave the country, seeking refuge in the United States after being implicated in alleged corruption related to the Odebrecht bribery scandal. Under the current leadership of Marko Cortés, the PAN seems to be at a crossroads. Cortés has chosen to place Anaya in a privileged position on the party's proportional representation list for the Senate, which has generated discontent among the party members. Many believe this decision reflects a lack of renewal and an attempt to maintain control of the party in the hands of those responsible for recent electoral defeats. On November 10, PAN members will have the opportunity to decide their future through a direct, free, and secret voting process. This election is vital, as it represents the possibility of breaking away from the continuity that has characterized the party in recent years. Among the candidates, figures like Jorge Romero and Kenia López stand out, but some party members see former senator Adriana Dávila as the most viable option for genuine renewal. The political context is further complicated by the rise of new forces in the Mexican electoral landscape. The lack of women in the PAN leadership is an issue that resonates among party members, especially when observing that other parties, like the PRI and PRD, have already had female presidents. If the PAN does not take these social dynamics into account, it risks losing relevance in national politics. Internal resistance against Cortés and Anaya's leadership has gained strength. Manuel Gómez Morín, grandson of the PAN's founder, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the "kidnapping of the party" and has demanded a change in direction. If these demands are not addressed, Gómez Morín warns that the descendants of the founders could completely dissociate from the party, even withdrawing the symbols that represent their legacy. As the election approaches, the tension within the PAN becomes palpable. Members are divided between those who support the current leadership and those who yearn for radical change. The election of the new PAN president will not only determine the party's immediate future but could also mark the difference between its resurgence or its fall into political irrelevance. The message from the polls is clear: if the PAN does not adapt and renew itself, it could face a fate similar to that of the PRI, which has been criticized for its lack of evolution. A top-down decision in the election of the next party leader, if it materializes, would be seen as an act of perpetuating practices that have led the PAN to its current state of crisis. With everything at stake, party members must decide whether they are willing to continue down the path laid out by Anaya and Cortés or if they will choose to break with the past and build a new future for the PAN. The election on November 10 looms as a turning point that could redefine the party's direction in the years to come.