In the context of Mexican politics, a national political association (Spanish: Agrupación política nacional, APN) is a citizens' association intended to assist in the development of democratic life and the country's political culture, as well as being intended to create a better informed public opinion. They are similar to political parties in the sense that they receive public funding through the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) for the promotion of their activities and ideas. APNs are not allowed to register candidates for election, though they can publicly support those of other political parties through association agreements and may only do so during federal elections. The creation of an APN is regarded as the first step towards the creation of a full-fledged political party.
In order to register an APN before IFE, the association has to provide documentation proving a minimum of 5000 members in at least seven Mexican states. They must also already have a charter or some other foundational document in which the association's ideology is delineated. The proposed name of the association cannot have the word "party" (partido) in it.
The first APNs were registered in 1978. The first four registered APNs were the Revolutionary Workers' Party, Unity of the Communist Left, Communitarian Action and Unity and Progress.
In a similar vein, the Electoral Institutes of individual states are entitled to create local political associations which are to be active only in the state of their registration.