Milagros Ortíz Bosch, re-elected senator for Santo Domingo, and the most popular political leader of that party, said that she plans to seek the presidential candidacy for her party in year 2000. "I believe I have had a good career in politics, with sufficient success, and there is no reason why I shouldn’t aspire," she said. She told the press she favors a constitutional reform so that the President can be elected with 45-50% of the vote and not 50%+1 as at present. The 50%+1 usually requires an alliance between opposing parties. She feels that the second round of the 1996 elections joined two minorities and as a result government has been difficult and the country has not been able to fulfill pre-established goals. The government has clashed with an opposing Congress. She said that as soon as the rules to elect the presidential candidate of her party are set, she will reach a final decision as to whether she will run or not. The other leading contenders are city mayor Rafael Suberví Bonilla and Hipólito Mejía.
