The Partido de la Liberaci?n Dominicana has announced that it has begun its internal electoral process that will conclude in March of this year with the selection of the ruling party’s presidential candidate for the 16 May 2000 elections. The three leading aspirants are Vice President Jaime David Fern?ndez, Secretary of the Presidency Danilo Medina and Minister of Tourism Felix Jim?nez. Others that have been mentioned are Norge Botello, Euclides Guti?rrez, Lidio Cadet, Franklin Almeyda and Marcelo Berm?dez. The PLD is expected to be the first political party to choose their presidential candidate. The internal race within the Partido Revolucionario Dominicano, the leading opposition party, is the tightest with strong contenders in Hip?lito Mej?a, Milagros Ortiz Bosch, Rafael Suberv? Bonilla and Hatuey Decamps. The PRSC has not defined its candidate selection process for the next year election. Polls show that the former President Joaqu?n Balaguer and former Vice President Jacinto Peynado are the leading candidates.
