NewsWhore
05-15-2009, 04:20 PM
The presidential candidates of the arch-rival PLD and PRD political parties signed a political truce yesterday. If the provisions make it into the 2009 Constitution, they will have major effects on the business of politics in the DR. The perceived strongmen in the PLD and PRD, President Leonel Fernandez (PLD) and Miguel Vargas Maldonado (PRD) agreed to:
Nationality. Change in the combination of jus sanguinis and jus soli for granting of Dominican nationality.
Number of deputies. Eliminate the provision that pegs the number of deputies in Congress to the province's population, freezing instead the number of deputies to the present 178.
Legislators abroad. Propose the election of new legislators to represent Dominicans living abroad.
Deputies based on national representation. Proposal to choose national deputies depending on the votes received, and chosen in proportion with the number of votes obtained by each party.
Unification of the congressional and municipal election with the presidential election. For this, the legislators to be elected in 2010 would remain in their posts for 6 years, through 2016. Up to date, legislators and city government officers have been chosen for four years.
Armed Forces and Police. Include provisions in the Constitution to modernize, increase the professionalism and strengthen the institutions of the Armed Forces and the National Police.
Presidential reelection. Adopt, with immediate effectiveness, the formula that was approved in the constitutional reform of 14 August 1994, that bans consecutive re-election. President Leonel Fernandez in his original proposal had requested the Constitution be changed to allow that after two consecutive terms in office, a third term break be taken, but then the former President be allowed to run again.
Witnesses at the event were president of the Senate Reinaldo Pared Perez (PLD), president of the Chamber of Deputies Julio Cesar Valentin (PLD), and Cesar Pina, legal advisor to the President for the PLD. For the PRD Eduardo Jorge Prats, Milton Ray Guevara, and Orlando Jorge Mera, secretary general, and senator Roberto Rodriguez. Also PRSC ally to the PLD, senator Amilcar Romero, and Elias Wessin of the PQD and Modesto Guzman of the PRSC.
The proposals need yet to be passed by the members of the Constitutional Revisory Assembly, but the deal among the party strongmen seeks to ensure that the votes are there for the approval of what has been suggested.
Political analysts comment that Fernandez will leave the presidency at a time when the PLD will be at a low point due to numerous critiism regarding the prevalence of political patronage in government, bloated payroll expenses, major corruption in government departments that have been proven to operate as private companies of their incumbents, a lack of solution to the electricity crisis despite several terms in office, a substantial drop in fiscal revenues, and growing government deficit, among other major weak points in government. Thus the PLD candidate running in 2012 will not be riding a wave of discontent in the population.
Miguel Vargas Maldonado ran against President Leonel Fernandez in the 2008 presidential election, garnering 40% of the vote dispite a widespread discontent with the then ruling PRD government of former President Hipolito Mejia. Vargas Maldonado is said to have the support of six senators of that party and of 54 of the 62 deputies.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)
Nationality. Change in the combination of jus sanguinis and jus soli for granting of Dominican nationality.
Number of deputies. Eliminate the provision that pegs the number of deputies in Congress to the province's population, freezing instead the number of deputies to the present 178.
Legislators abroad. Propose the election of new legislators to represent Dominicans living abroad.
Deputies based on national representation. Proposal to choose national deputies depending on the votes received, and chosen in proportion with the number of votes obtained by each party.
Unification of the congressional and municipal election with the presidential election. For this, the legislators to be elected in 2010 would remain in their posts for 6 years, through 2016. Up to date, legislators and city government officers have been chosen for four years.
Armed Forces and Police. Include provisions in the Constitution to modernize, increase the professionalism and strengthen the institutions of the Armed Forces and the National Police.
Presidential reelection. Adopt, with immediate effectiveness, the formula that was approved in the constitutional reform of 14 August 1994, that bans consecutive re-election. President Leonel Fernandez in his original proposal had requested the Constitution be changed to allow that after two consecutive terms in office, a third term break be taken, but then the former President be allowed to run again.
Witnesses at the event were president of the Senate Reinaldo Pared Perez (PLD), president of the Chamber of Deputies Julio Cesar Valentin (PLD), and Cesar Pina, legal advisor to the President for the PLD. For the PRD Eduardo Jorge Prats, Milton Ray Guevara, and Orlando Jorge Mera, secretary general, and senator Roberto Rodriguez. Also PRSC ally to the PLD, senator Amilcar Romero, and Elias Wessin of the PQD and Modesto Guzman of the PRSC.
The proposals need yet to be passed by the members of the Constitutional Revisory Assembly, but the deal among the party strongmen seeks to ensure that the votes are there for the approval of what has been suggested.
Political analysts comment that Fernandez will leave the presidency at a time when the PLD will be at a low point due to numerous critiism regarding the prevalence of political patronage in government, bloated payroll expenses, major corruption in government departments that have been proven to operate as private companies of their incumbents, a lack of solution to the electricity crisis despite several terms in office, a substantial drop in fiscal revenues, and growing government deficit, among other major weak points in government. Thus the PLD candidate running in 2012 will not be riding a wave of discontent in the population.
Miguel Vargas Maldonado ran against President Leonel Fernandez in the 2008 presidential election, garnering 40% of the vote dispite a widespread discontent with the then ruling PRD government of former President Hipolito Mejia. Vargas Maldonado is said to have the support of six senators of that party and of 54 of the 62 deputies.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)