The proposal to change the 2010 Constitution to reinstate consecutive reelection received 21 votes of the 31 senators present yesterday evening, Tuesday 26 May 2015. Senate president Cristina Lizardo had called the session for Tuesday, when the Senate usually meets on Wednesdays. The vote took place a day after PLD party president Leonel Fernandez declared that he would only approve the re-election bill if a referendum were held in his televised speech to the nation on Monday evening, 25 May 2015. The PLD holds the majority in the Senate.
Senators Sonia Mateo, Felix Bautista, Aristides Victoria Yeb, Prim Pujals, Dionis Sanchez, Jose Rafael Vargas, Carlos Castillo, Amarilis Santana, Francis Vargas and Jose Maria Sosa did not vote. Manuel Antonio Paula was absent.
The vote was preceded by the reading of a favorable report on the proposal for reinstating re-election prepared by the special committee appointed by the ruling PLD party. Eight of the nine members of the commission voted in favor.
When it was time to vote, Senate president Cristina Lizardo was interrupted by Amable Aristy Castro who said that he wanted to recall the days of late President Joaquin Balaguer when for many years the PLD, as well as other opposition parties, had criticized the party leader’s defense of re-election. Aristy said that he would now be voting in favor of the motion “with two hands in the air,” which he then did.
Senator Edis Mateo Vasquez (Barahona) then called on the PLD to unite and stop the apparent internal fight caused by the party Political Committee’s decision to support reelection and reminded them that internal battles had led the PRD to lose power.
The next session will be held tomorrow, Thursday 28 May 2015, when the proposal will receive its second reading before moving on to the Chamber of Deputies.
The re-election motion has divided the PLD in followers of President Danilo Medina and those who follow former President Leonel Fernandez.
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2015/05/27/i1167401_con-abstencin-ausencia-senador-aprueban-proyecto-reforma.html