Román Jáquez, the new president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE) presented on 25 August 2021 recommendations for changes to Political Parties Law 33-18 and Organic Law of the Electoral Regime 15-19. The laws were passed during the Danilo Medina government when the then ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) was the majority in Congress. Contradictions and ambiguities in the laws resulted in numerous disputes requiring rulings from the Superior Electoral Court and the Constitutional Court just months before the 2020 general elections.
Jáquez Liranzo made a presentation to representatives of political parties and civil society. He said the laws need to be updated and adapted to the new realities of equity and equality. The next general elections are scheduled for 2024. There are recommendations for complete changes, exclusions and additions to more than 100 articles in both laws.
The amendments focus on a new gender parity scheme, strengthening the electoral boards, readjustment of the electoral calendar, topics to guarantee the vote abroad, readjustment of the sanctioning regime, incorporation of new regulations for the campaign and pre-campaign and reduction of the spending limits.
The JCE also recommends removing itself from the responsibility for organizing the primaries of political parties.
Jáquez Liranzo proposes to reduce campaign spending from the present RD$527 million for the pre-campaign to RD$131 million, and in campaign now at RD$922 million to RD$322 million. “When the campaign expense ceilings are so high, as the ones that currently exist in the Dominican Republic, their purpose is impossible to achieve and the regulation becomes inefficient,” explained Jáquez.
The first impression of politicians to the recommendations is positive. N Digital reports that representatives of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) and Alianza País positively valued the initiative of the Central Electoral Board to modify and adapt the lPolitical Parties and Electoral Regime laws.
The representatives of the three organizations of the system consider that this is the right time to correct the failures of the legislations in political-electoral matters.
Read more in Spanish:
El Caribe
N Digital
N Digital
26 August 2021