Political considerations seem to have again prevailed to impede legislators from passing the key political and electoral bills that have languished in the National Congress for dozens of years. Political differences among leading politicians, and this time around primarily between dissident groups of the ruling PLD party, have stagnated these bills that would better organize and control the political party and electoral systems in the Dominican Republic that receive a big chunk of the national budget.
A report today in Diario Libre also highlights the failure of legislators to pass the penal and civil code revisions also languishing in Congress due to differences. In the case of the penal code, the main obstacle has been the reticence of legislators to act against the strong anti-abortion stand of religious groups in the Dominican Republic.
The bills expired with the present legislature on 12 January 2018 and will need to be presented again in the new legislature that reopens after the 27 February National Independence Day.
Opposition deputy Victor D’Aza (PRM-Santiago) told Diario Libre reporters that the time is right for the Central Electoral Board (JCE) to present a new bill including its recommendations for the financing of political campaigns, the carrying out of open or closed primaries, women’s vote, among other issues for which there has not been consensus.
10 January 2018
