The Senate has announced the nine members of the special commission to study the draft of the bill that declares the need for amending Article 124 of the 2010 Constitution that bans consecutive presidential re-election. According to an announcement on the Senate web site, the commission, which will be chaired by senator Reinaldo Pared Perez, is also comprised of senators Julio Cesar Valentin Jiminian, Adriano de Jesus Sanchez Roa, Felix Maria Vasquez Espinal (PRSC), Euclides Rafael Sanchez Tavarez, Aristides Victoria Yeb, Rafael Porfirio Calderon Martinez and Felix Maria Nova Paulino and Amable Aristy Castro (La Estructura).
Four of the committee members selected, Reinaldo Pared, Rafael Calderon, Euclides Sanchez and Felix Nova were among the senators who presented the bill to Congress. Aristy Castro has gone public in his support for the re-election bill. Adriano Sanchez Roa (PLD) is chosen to represent supporters of former President Leonel Fernandez and Felix Vasquez will represent the PRSC bloc.
Former senate president Pared Perez is also the PLD general secretary as well as a presidential pre-candidate.
Last week, Lizardo said that after considering the Senate regulations, the commission could be made up of any senator including those who were involved in the drafting of the proposal. She added that she was convinced that each legislator would act according to his or her own convictions and that the PLD was a mature organization that would not be divided as a result of this proposal.
The commission is being set up at a time when the PLD legislators are divided between President Danilo Medina’s loyalists and supporters of former President Leonel Fernandez, who is the party president. Fernandez is seeking the PLD candidacy for the 2016 presidential election. Under the present Constitution, Medina is banned from running for President.
The proposed bill would allow President Medina to opt for a one-time re-election term.
The Political Committee of the PLD has already ordered party members to vote in favor of the re-election bill.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2015/5/11/366725/Senado-completa-comision-para-reintroducir-la-reeleccion
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2015/05/12/i1142781_senado-completa-comisin-especial-que-modificara-constitucin.html