President Luis Abinader has convened the National Assembly that unites the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies to review his proposal for reforming the 2015 Constitution.
Now, as the National Congress prepares to study the amendments received from President Luis Abinader, there is speculation that other changes, beyond those proposed by the President, could be made. While the ruling PRM is majority in Congress, the convening of the National Assembly opens the doors for the legislators of the ruling party to stick to the recommendations from the Executive Branch or be creative. Of course, opposition legislators for the political parties of former Presidents Danilo Medina (PLD – 2012-2016 and 2016-2020) and Leonel Fernandez (FP – 1996-2000, 2004-2008, 2008-2012) could also make recommendations, but this time around they are too few to lead as they did in the past. And these two party leaders are bearish on changing the 2015 Constitution.
This time around, the ruling PRM has the majority and whether slanting in favor of the party or in favor of the vision of President Luis Abinader, the PRM legislators will vote to decide the amendments.
Of the 32 senators, 27 are of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM). Of the 190 legislators, 146 are of the same ruling party. Bottom line, the PRM calls the shots.
The largest opposition party, the People’s Force (Fuerza del Pueblo) of former President Leonel Fernandez and its allies have but 27 deputies. The former majority party, the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) and its allies have but 12 deputies. The also one-time majority party, the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) has but one deputy.
In the Senate, the Fuerza del Pueblo has three senators, the PLD did not win a senate seat, and the former majority party, the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) has three seats.
Politicians are pitching their sliding balls. Former President Leonel Fernandez says there is no real need to reform the Constitution, as reported in Diario Libre. He does recommend passing the Referendum Law as mandated in the Constitution. President Luis Abinader responded reminding Fernandez on how the 2015 Constitution was amended to again enable Fernandez to run for a fourth term. Fernandez has said he has instructed his legislators to abstain from voting on changes in the Constitution.
Former President Danilo Medina argued when interviewed after a PLD political committee meeting, that the government just seeks to distract people from the fundamental problems. President Luis Abinader then reminded Medina that former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had to make a call to him urging him to back off from forcing constitutional reform in 2019 when Medina wanted to change the 2015 Constitution to allow him to run for a third term.
As Congress prepares to get to the task, Alfredo Pacheco (PRM-National District), president of the Chamber of Deputies announced that on Monday, 26 August 2024, named the deputies tasked to work with senators to study the Constitutional Reform bill sent to the Senate by the Executive Branch.
Former Vice President of the House, Olfanny Méndez, will lead the group of deputies and serve as Vice President of the Joint Committee. Other members of the bicameral commitee from the Chamber of Deputies are: Julio César Beltré, Soraya Suarez, Danilo Díaz, Rogelio Genao Lanza, Eugenio Cedeño, Elías Wessin Chávez, Mateo Evangelista Espaillat, Carlos de Pérez, Rafael Tobías Crespo, Carmen Ligia Barceló, Kinsberly Taveras, Mayobanex Martínez, Onabel Aristy, Aníbal Díaz, Francisco Rodolfo Villegas, Ramón Bueno Patiño and Robinson Díaz.
The Senate is to be represented in the bicameral committee by senators Pedro Catraín, who will chair the commission, and senators Omar Fernández, Ramón Rogelio Genao, Cristóbal Venerado Castillo, Félix Bautista, Antonio Taveras Guzmán, Lía Inocencia Díaz and Franklin Romero.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
El Nacional
Diario Libre – President Abinader’s proposed constitutional amendments
Noticias SIN
El Nacional
Diario Libre
El Dia
Diario Libre
El Caribe
Senate 2024-28
Chamber of Deputies 2024-28
28 August 2024