Congress approved a 60-day extension of work sessions. The present legislature started 27 February and would end this coming Friday, 26 May. The new period starts 27 May. President-elect Hipólito Mejía has urged the congressmen to pass important bills still pending in Congress. Meanwhile, the Listin Diario reported on another issue PRD congressmen, that are majority in both houses, would like to tackle. The newspaper says that the Senate would like to submit a bill that would unify the presidential and congressional/municipal elections, prior to the 16 August start of the PRD administration. The present congressmen would be favored with the measure. Congressional elections, held every four years, are slated for May 2002. But if the constitutional reform is passed, congressmen would be continue in their posts through 2004. In addition to extending the term of present congressmen to six years, this would give the recently elected PRD government majority in Congress for the extension of its term (2000-2004). Rafaela Alburquerque, president of the Chamber of Deputies, said that the modifying of the Constitution has to be carried out by consensus of both political parties and the different sectors of Dominican society. The 1994 Constitutional Reform took place to resolve a political impasse. A reform of that reform was discussed by PLD government officials that wanted to eliminate the ban on presidential re-election to allow President Leonel Fernández to participate in the 2000 election. The PRD would not hear of this. It is expected the PLD may oppose a reform where the PRD stands to gain the most. Participación Ciudadana, a major local civic group, advocates the reform of the Constitution by way of a Constitutional Assembly that is elected directly by the people. It also says that the Constitution needs to be reformed in a constructive environment. And that the entire Constitution be revised, not just the electoral articles.
