The possibility of resolving the internal crisis over differences over changing the 2010 Constitution to reinstate consecutive re-election affecting the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) could come from a meeting between President Danilo Medina and former President Leonel Fernandez.
Fifteen PLD Senators who are opposed to the Political Committee decision in favor of preparing a Constitution amendment to permit the re-election of highly popular President Danilo Medina are expressing this hope.
Reinaldo Pared Perez, the president of the pro-reelection commission and senator Francis Vargas, representing the senators opposed to the amendment, called for the two leading party members to meet to reach a consensus.
Pared Perez said the commission met with the PLD senators (as it had done the day before with the PLD deputies) yesterday, Wednesday 29 April 2015 to explain the Political Committee position on the amendment of Article 144 of the Constitution that bans consecutive presidential election.
The proposal is to insert a transitional article stating that if Medina is re-elected in 2016, he will never be allowed to run again.
“What they have said was the usual, and many of us share this view, that Leonel and Danilo should meet. This could be the solution. I feel that this would be the solution,” declared Pared Perez.
For the amendment to pass in Congress, a two-thirds majority vote needs to be obtained in both congressional houses. This means the bill needs the votes of Medina followers, Fernandez followers and opposition member legislators.
The Chamber of Deputies has 190 members, and the Senate has 32 members, so 148 members would need to vote in favor in order for the amendment to pass.