text: The NAFTA renegotiations will probably drag on into the summer of 2018 (the Mexican Federal election) and fall (US midterms).  This will make the political context in all 3 countries increasingly complex as it relates to NAFTA.
  
  Increasingly many progressive Democrats are campaigning on a protectionist platform while centrist anti-Trump Republicans support NAFTA.  Thus, there will be no consensus in either US Party around which NAFTA debate can rise above the simplistic populist level.
  
  Mexicans want a change of government and the NAFTA stance of the US fuels the left wing populist cause making the negotiating options of the current government increasingly narrow.
  
  In the increasingly chaotic negotiating environment just described, our government likewise little room to manoeuvre, especially with a general election scheduled for 2019.
  
  Increasing rhetoric and rigidity on all sides is likely.