Dominican Republic approves reelection in constitutional reform.
| Autor | Giron, Crosby |
After months of being the hottest topic in Dominican politics, in mid-June, Article 124 of the Constitution was modified. Under the new Constitution, incumbent presidents will be allowed to seek re-election, allowing President Danilo Medina to seek office again in 2016.
The Asamblea Nacional Revisora was led by Cristina Lizardo and Abel Martinez. Local sources said motion number 00003 was approved with 168 votes in favor and one vote against. The vote marked the end of a session that lasted almost five hours. Four senators and 74 deputies were reported absent.
Those absent belonged to the Partido Revolucionario Moderno (PRM), which opposed the modification of Article 124, as they explained during the second debate on the issue prior to the vote. During that vote, 39 members of the house were opposed to the reform and 181 were in favor, mainly from the Partido de la Liberacion Dominicana (PLD), its ally, the Partido Reformista Social Cristiano (PRSC), and the opposition Partido Revolucionario Dominicano (PRD).
Thanks to the support of these parties, the modification of Article 124 was approved. However, President Medina would not be allowed to run for more than two consecutive periods (after 2020) or to run for vice president.
After its modification, the article was worded in the following way: "Executive power is exercised by the president, who will be elected every four years through a direct vote." It adds: "The president may run for a second consecutive period only and can never run for vice president."
The first debate on the new article was carried on June 6. It was an official ceremony in which the national anthem was sung, then congressional guards fired 21 shots in the air, and finally the 277 articles of the Constitution were read.
Lizardo delivered a speech in which she argued that Article 120 states that the Constitution can be reformed as needed. She added that the Constitution cannot be suspended by any authority, not even by a plebiscite.
"The proclamation of the Constitution will always be an important event in the life of the Republic, since it deals with strengthening the social and democratic rule of law that we Dominicans must live in a sovereign, free, and independent way," said Lizardo.
The press described the session as long, leading many members of the house to be absent or to start fiddling with their cell phones while the new Constitution was being read. President Medina did not attend the session as he was not...
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