According to eminent lawyers Carlos Salcedo, Pedro Dominguez Brito and Jose Dario Suarez, there does not have to be a national referendum to approve changes to the Constitution to allow Danilo Medina to run again. Medina’s re-election is in the country’s best interests, according to the lawyers, who say that two thirds of the two legislative chambers need to vote in favor in order to reinstate consecutive presidential re-election, as established in Article 272 of the 2010 Constitution.
Salcedo said that President Medina deserved to be allowed to run for election for a second term, as his administration had established the institutional bases the country needed and dismissed claims that the PLD Political Committee’s reform proposal was against Dominican institutions.
Constitutional expert Pedro Dominguez Brito shared the view that Constitution reform did not require a referendum, and also favors the United States electoral model of two consecutive terms then no more for the President.
Dominguez Brito added that if a referendum were to be held, President Medina would win easily due to his high approval rating. He said that if there had to be a referendum it would just delay the whole process, which he said would be absurd.
Santiago lawyer Jose Dario Suarez also said he saw no need for a referendum and that there was no reason Congress could not approve the proposal.
Nevertheless, on 24 April 2015, Deputy Vinicio Castillo Seman of the FNP notified the PLD and the commission set up by the Political Committee to work on the bill for re-election that according to Article 272, a national referendum must be held. He quotes PLD general secretary Reinaldo Pared Perez as saying on 10 July 2014 when he was Senate president that a constitutional change for re-election would require a prior national referendum, according to Article 272 of the Constitution.
Art. 272 reads:
“Referendum for Approval. If the reform is related to fundamental rights, guarantees and duties, territorial or municipal organization, nationality, citizenship or immigration, the monetary system, or the amendment procedures established under the Constitution, approval of the reform shall require ratification by a majority of citizens with the right to vote, through a referendum for approval called by the Central Electoral Board after the National Assembly has voted and approved the reform. ”
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2015/4/26/364985/Juristas-rechazan-reforma-necesite-pasar-por-referendo