The debate about extending for two years the term of currently elected senators and deputies was joined by the powerful voice of Santo Domingo’s Catholic archbishop. Msgnr. Nicolas De Jesus Lopez Rodriguez described the idea as "imprudent." Speaking on his weekly TV program, the nation’s highest ranking Catholic cleric urged legislators to complete the four-year terms for which they were elected two years ago, and then to run for a new two-year term. The issue is much in debate because constitutional reform forced the 1996 presidential elections to follow the previous one by just two years, instead of the traditional four. However, the pattern of congressional elections was untouched. Consequently, legislative and presidential elections occur in separate biennia. A movement to reunite legislative and presidential terms of office, which would require a constitutional modification. Rather than call a constitutional convention for the purpose, however, the PRD and others have advocated an extension of the current term – effectively to six years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The debate about extending for two years the term of currently elected senators and deputies was joined by the powerful voice of Santo Domingo’s Catholic archbishop. Msgnr. Nicolas De Jesus Lopez Rodriguez described the idea as "imprudent." Speaking on his weekly TV program, the nation’s highest ranking Catholic cleric urged legislators to complete the four-year … <\/p>\n