Negotiations have stepped up between the ruling Partido de la Liberaci?n Dominicana (PLD) and the Partido Revolucionario Dominicano (PRD), the largest opposition party. The PRD wants to retain the post of secretary general of the Dominican Municipal League and to do so needs the support of the PLD. Apparently, if the PLD supports the Partido Reformista Social Cristiano, it is probable that that party’s candidate, Senator Amable Aristy Castro could win the post. The post is sought because the secretary general has lots of say in the management of the 4% total of the National Budget that is allotted to the city halls all around the country. Congress wants to increase this allotment to 10%. The PRD has majority of mayors of the city halls, but the way the vote system is set up, this does not automatically grant it the post of secretary general. Political commentators say that the PLD could support the aspirations of present secretary general Julio Mar??ez to be re-elected, if the PRD supports bills being sent to Congress this week. The government needs the support of the PRD to pass economic reform bills and the recently completed Central American Free Trade Agreement, as well as several loan agreements that have been signed with multilateral lending organizations. Furthermore, the PLD’s leading strategist, Danilo Medina, Secretary of the Presidency, who was scheduled to travel to Europe with President Leonel Fern?ndez on Tuesday, declined to make the trip in order to be present during the negotiations. The election of the secretary general will take place this 26 January.
