THE lower house of the Mexican parliament on Thursday approved a constitutional amendment that allows for the nullification of elections where there has been foreign interference.

The proposal passed the Chamber of Deputies with 307 votes in favour, 128 against and one abstention.

The amendment to the constitution, if finally approved, would add foreign interference to the list of grounds on which an election could be declared invalid.

The proposal still needs the approval of the Mexican Senate to take effect.

The reform defines foreign interference as “illicit financing, propaganda, the systematic dissemination of disinformation, digital manipulation, and the intervention of foreign governments or agencies.”

The amendment also covers acts of political, economic, diplomatic or media pressure intended to influence public opinion.

Ricardo Monreal, the leader of the governing Morena party in the lower house, defended the measure arguing that the amendment would “strengthen our electoral system, judicial elections and Mexico’s democratic sovereignty.”

But Ruben Moreira Valdez of the Institutional Revolutionary Party said: “We reject any foreign intervention. The problem is that we are in a debate that confuses intervention with meddling, which are different things.”

In recent weeks, party figures have pointed to criticism from foreign politicians and comments by US President Donald Trump as examples of outside pressure that could influence domestic politics.