Mexico's new political party suing outspoken bishops.

Byline: Laurence Iliff

MEXICO CITY _ A new political party that favors abortion rights and same-sex unions has filed criminal complaints against four Roman Catholic bishops for attacking the party's views.

Those complaints have sparked a fresh fight last week in the long-running battle over the separation of church and state.

Citing anti-clerical laws rooted in the 1910 Mexican Revolution, the newly formed Mexico Posible party asked federal authorities to fine the prelates up to $2,500.

The party alleges violations of federal electoral law, which prohibits any religious authority from "inducing the electorate to vote in favor or against a candidate or political party." Congressional midterm elections are July 6.

"The Catholic Church still has too much power and too much influence to be involved in these public policy issues," said Wilfrido Salazar, the general secretary of the party. Mexico Posible, which needs 2 percent of the national vote to maintain its party registry, "is the only party ever to take on the church through the legal system," he added.

Political analyst Jose Antonio Crespo called the criminal complaints a watershed in trying to stem the church's outspokenness on political issues.