The study that caused a clash between former Vice-Presidente Milagros Ortiz Bosch and the president of the PRD, Vicente Sanchez Baret, who disagreed over whether the findings should be released, has now been made public. As reported in the Listin Diario, former Culture Minister Tony Raful read during a press conference that 68% of PRD members want the party leadership to be renewed, and feel it should be a priority if the party hopes to return to power. El Caribe’s report on the survey showed that only 28% of the 40,629 people polled were satisfied with the leadership of the PRD.
With regards to last May’s electoral defeat, 64% said that internal conflict was the main reason for the loss, 51% cited the notion of allowing re-election and 38% attributed the loss to a distancing between the government and the party.
The survey shows that 54% of PRD members feel there is little internal democracy in the party, while 41% said that the PRD leaders view the party as personal property to be used to turn a profit for themselves and their followers.
60% feel that the party members should choose their candidates, and that this vote should not be open to everyone.
The most damaging practices that exist within the partyare the splinter groups caused by internal division, clientelism and political patronage, and corruption, said 68% of PRD respondents.
The announcedrelease of the survey’s findings caused Vicente Sanchez Baret, the party president, to quit the PRD in protest. Sanchez Baret was present at yesterday’s press conference, and said he had thought the matter over and decided to return to his obligations in the PRD.