DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

President Luis Abinader has enacted Law No. 13-26, a legislative amendment that practically eliminates independent candidacies for the 2028 general elections. All candidates need to be backed by recognized political organizations – political parties, groupings and movements.

This means that any individual wishing to run for a legislative, municipal, or executive office must be nominated by a legally recognized political organization. These are the only candidacies that can aspire to the generous government funds made available to aspiring candidates.

The law, signed on 26 March 2026, serves as a direct legislative response to recent judicial mandates and structural concerns regarding the Dominican Republic’s electoral framework.

The new statute specifically repeals Articles 156, 157, and 158 of Law 20-23 (Organic Law of Electoral Regime). These previous articles had...