Politics of the Dominican Republic
Encyclopedia
Government of the Dominican Republic takes place in a framework of a representative democracy
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...

, whereby the President of the Dominican Republic is both head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...

 and head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...

, and of a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...

. Executive power
Executive Power
Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...

 is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the National Congress
Congress of the Dominican Republic
The Congress of the Dominican Republic is the bicameral legislature of the government of the Dominican Republic, consisting of two houses, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Both senators and deputies are chosen through direct election...

. The Judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...

 is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Executive branch

The Executive has long been the dominant branch in the Dominican governmental system. The president of the Dominican Republic is both the Head of State and the Head of Government, and is Commander in Chief of the armed forces.

A cabinet of ministers
Cabinet of the Dominican Republic
The Cabinet of the Dominican Republic is chosen by the President of the Republic and can be removed by the president at any time. The cabinet ministers were known as Secretaries of State until 26 January 2010 with the proclamation of the new Constitution....

 ("Secretarios de Estado") that he designates assists the President in his functions. Since August 2004, the President of the Republic is Leonel Fernández Reina and the Vice president is Rafael Alburquerque de Castro, of Partido de la Liberación Dominicana (PLD), which won in the first election round with a majority vote of 57.11%.

The President and Vice President are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term, and they can be re-elected only for a consecutive period, according to the last amendment made to the Constitution
Constitution of the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has gone through 38 constitutions, more than any other country, since its independence in 1844. This statistic is a somewhat deceiving indicator of political stability, however, because of the Dominican practice of promulgating a new constitution whenever an amendment was...

 in 2002. Elections are held in years evenly divisible by four.

The Dominican Constitution
Constitution of the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has gone through 38 constitutions, more than any other country, since its independence in 1844. This statistic is a somewhat deceiving indicator of political stability, however, because of the Dominican practice of promulgating a new constitution whenever an amendment was...

 takes twenty-seven paragraphs to spell out the president's extensive powers. Among the most important are those that grant him authority over virtually all appointments and removals of public officials, and even popular elected ones; empower him to promulgate the laws passed by Congress; direct him to engage in diplomatic relations; and empower him to command, to deploy, and to make appointments in, the armed forces. The president also has vast emergency powers to suspend basic rights in times of emergency, to defer the legislature, to declare a state of siege, and to rule by decree.

The 1966 Constitution
Constitution of the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has gone through 38 constitutions, more than any other country, since its independence in 1844. This statistic is a somewhat deceiving indicator of political stability, however, because of the Dominican practice of promulgating a new constitution whenever an amendment was...

 provides for ministers and subcabinet ministers to assist in public administration. These officials must be Dominican citizens, at least twenty-five years of age, with full civil and political rights. The powers of the ministers are determined by law. However, the president is constitutionally responsible for the actions of his ministers. Ministers serve at the president's discretion, and function both as administrators of their ministries and as agents of presidential authority.

Military

The military consists of about 44,000 active duty personnel. Its principal mission is to defend the nation, but it serves more as an internal security force. The army, twice as large as the other services combined, consists of four infantry brigades and a combat support brigade; the air force operates three flying squadrons; and the navy maintains 30 aging vessels. The Dominican Republic's military is second in size to Cuba's in the Caribbean.

The armed forces participate fully in counter-narcotics efforts. They also are active in efforts to control contraband and illegal immigration from Haiti to the Dominican Republic and from the Dominican Republic to the United States and Puerto Rico.

Legislative branch

Legislative power
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...

 is exercised by a bicameral
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....

 National Congress
Congress of the Dominican Republic
The Congress of the Dominican Republic is the bicameral legislature of the government of the Dominican Republic, consisting of two houses, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Both senators and deputies are chosen through direct election...

  (Congreso de la República). The upper house
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...

 is the Senate
Senate of the Dominican Republic
The Senate is the upper house of the Dominican Republic's bicameral National Congress. The lower house is the Chamber of Deputies....

 (Senado) with 32 members, elected for a four year term in single-seat constituencies. The lower house
Lower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...

 is the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of theDominican Republic's bicameral National Congress. The upper house is the Senate.It currently comprises 183 deputies who are elected for four-year terms...

 (Cámara de Diputados) with 178 members, elected for a four year term by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...

 in accordance to each province, as follows: one deputy is elected for every 50,000 inhabitants plus fraction exceeding 25,000, but never less than two.

Among the attributions of the Senate are the following:
  • Studying and approving laws.
  • To appoint the President and other members of the Central Electoral Board and their deputies.
  • To appoint the members of the Public Accounts Chamber.
  • To approve or not the appointment of diplomatic agents made by the Executive.
  • To decide on the claims of the Chamber of Deputies against public officers for misconduct or serious faults in the performance of their duties.
  • In the event of public accusation, the Senate may only impose the sanction of removal from office. However, the removed officer may be subject to being tried according to the respective statutes, if applicable. For the removal of office, a vote of at least ¾ of all members of the Senate is required.


Congressional and municipal elections are held separately from the presidential elections. Re-election is always possible, without any limitation. The office of Senator and Deputy are incompatible with any other position or employment at the Public Administration.

Judicial branch

The Judicial Power is charged of administering justice in order to ensure the respect, protection and supervision of rights recognized under the Constitution and laws. Its higher organ is the Supreme Court of Justice, which is composed of 16 judges appointed by the National Council of Magistrates, an entity created by the constitutional reform of 1994 to ensure the independence of the Judicial Branch.

The National Council of Magistrates is nominated by the three major political parties. It is presided by the President of the Republic and has the following members:
  • The President of the Senate, and a Senator chosen by the Senate from a different party than the President of the Senate.
  • The President of the Chamber of Deputies, and a Deputy chosen by the Chamber of Deputies from a different party than the President of the Chamber of Deputies.
  • The current President of the Supreme Court of Justice.
  • A judge of the Supreme Court of Justice chosen by this court, which serves as Secretary.


The Supreme Court hears appeals from lower courts (as a Court of Cassation
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...

) and chooses members of lower courts. It has sole jurisdiction over actions against the President, designated members of his cabinet, and members of Congress. It has administrative and financial autonomy.

Apart from working as an appeals court for all judgments rendered by judicial courts, the Supreme Court supervises all judges in the Dominican territory. Its judicial and administrative functions may be summarized as follows:
  • To decide on appeals as statutorily established.
  • To decide as last instance on the matters that are under the jurisdiction of Appeals Courts as court of first instance.
  • To decide as only instance on the criminal cases against the President and Vice-president of the Republic, Senators, Deputies, Ministers, Vice-ministers, Supreme Court Judges, Public General Attorney, Judges and General Attorneys of Appeals Courts, State attorneys of the Land Courts and Judges of Administrative Courts.
  • To decide as only instance on the constitutionality of laws, at the request of the Executive Power, one of the Presidents of the legislative chambers or an interested party.
  • To appoint the judges of the Appeals court, the Land courts, the Courts of First Instance, the Judges of Instruction, the Peace Courts and their deputies, the Administrative-Tax Court and the judges of any other judicial courts created by law, according to the provisions of the Law on Judicial Career.
  • To exercise the highest disciplinary authority on all members of the Judicial Power, being able to impose sanctions such as suspension, removal or prison.
  • To transfer provisionally or definitively from one jurisdiction to another, as it may deem necessary, the judges of the Appeals Court, the judges of First Instance of the Land Courts, the Judges of Instruction, the Peace Judges and other court judges created by law.
  • To create the administrative positions that may be necessary to comply with the attributions granted by the Constitution and laws.
  • To appoint all officers and employees of the Judicial Power.
  • To determine the wages and other payments of Judges and administrative personnel belonging to the Judicial Power.

Municipal government and administrative divisions

Each of the 31 provinces is headed by a presidentially appointed governor. People-elected mayors and municipal councils administer the National District (Santo Domingo) and the 103 municipal districts.

The Dominican Republic has 31 provinces (provincias) and one National District* (Distrito Nacional): Azua
Azua Province
Azua is a province of the Dominican Republic.-Municipalities and municipal districts:The province as of June 20 2006 is divided into the following municipalities and municipal districts within them:...

, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabón, Duarte, El Seibo
El Seibo Province
El Seibo , alternatively spelt El Seybo, is a province of the Dominican Republic. Before 1992 it included what is now Hato Mayor province.-Municipalities and municipal districts:...

, Elías Piña
Elías Piña Province
Elías Piña is one of the 31 provinces of the Dominican Republic. It is located in the western part of the country, on the border with Haiti. Its capital city is Comendador....

, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, María Trinidad Sánchez, Monseñor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata
Monte Plata Province
Monte Plata is a province of the Dominican Republic, and also the name of its capital city. It was split from San Cristóbal in 1992.-Municipalities and municipal districts:...

, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Hermanas Mirabal, Samaná, Sánchez Ramírez, San Cristóbal, San José de Ocoa, San Juan
San Juan Province (Dominican Republic)
San Juan is a province of the Dominican Republic. Before 1961 it was known as Benefactor.-Municipalities and municipal districts:The province as of June 20 2006 is divided into the following municipalities and municipal districts within them:*Bohechío**Arroyo Cano **Yaque *El Cercado**Batista...

, San Pedro de Macorís, Santiago, Santiago Rodríguez, Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional
Distrito Nacional
The Distrito Nacional is a subdivision of the Dominican Republic enclosing the capital Santo Domingo. It is not within any of the provinces, but is itself counted as a province. Before October 16, 2001, the Distrito Nacional was much larger, including what is now known as Santo Domingo Province....

, and Valverde.

Recent political history

The Dominican Republic has a multi-party political system with national elections every four years. In two rounds of presidential elections in 1996, nearly 80% of eligible Dominican voters went to the polls. The leading parties in 1994 were the PRSC, linked to the International Christian Democratic political movement, whose candidate was President Joaquín Balaguer
Joaquín Balaguer
Joaquín Antonio Balaguer Ricardo was the President of the Dominican Republic from 1960 to 1962, from 1966 to 1978, and again from 1986 to 1996.-Early life and introduction to politics:...

; the PRD
PRD
-Political parties:*Partido Renovador Democrático, a political party in Angola*Parti de Renouveau Démocratique, a political party in Benin*Partido Revolucionario Dominicano, a political party in the Dominican Republic...

, affiliated with the Socialist International, whose candidate was José Francisco Peña Gómez
José Francisco Peña Gómez
José Francisco Peña Gómez was a politician from the Dominican Republic. He was the leader of the Dominican Revolutionary Party , a three-time candidate for president of the Dominican Republic and former Mayor of Santo Domingo...

; and the Dominican Liberation Party
Dominican Liberation Party
The Dominican Liberation Party is one of the main political parties of the Dominican Republic, and has a centrist position.The party has been elected into office thrice now with Leonel Fernández as President of the Dominican Republic in the 1996, 2004 and 2008 elections, though losing in 2000...

 (PLD), whose candidate was former President Juan Bosch
Juan Bosch
Juan Emilio Bosch Gaviño was a politician, historian, short story writer, essayist, educator, and the first cleanly elected president of the Dominican Republic for a brief time in 1963. Previously, he had been the leader of the Dominican opposition in exile to the dictatorial regime of Rafael...

.

In the 1994 elections, international observers noted many irregularities in the voter lists, and the opposition PRD immediately charged the Central Electoral Board and the PRSC with fraud. A Verification Commission appointed by the Central Electoral Board, however, did not accept the PRD's charges. By all estimates, total disenfranchised voters far exceeded the 22,281-vote margin of victory in favor of President Balaguer on 2 August 1994.

Following an intense period of political activity, the competing political parties signed a Pact for Democracy on 10 August, reducing President Balaguer's term of office from 4 to 2 years, setting early elections, and reforming the constitution. A new Central Electoral Board was named to work on electoral reform. The main candidates in 1996 were Vice President Jacinto Peynado
Jacinto Peynado
Jacinto Bienvenido Peynado was the President of the Dominican Republic from August 16, 1938 until February 24, 1940 during the Trujillo Era. During his 31-year regime, dictator Rafael Trujillo appointed four individuals to serve as ceremonial Presidents while retaining direct, behind-the-scenes...

 (PRSC), José Francisco Peña Gómez (PRD), and Leonel Fernández
Leonel Fernández
Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna is a Dominican lawyer, academic, and the current President of the Dominican Republic since 2004. He held the same office from 1996 to 2000...

 (PLD).

Domestic and international observers saw the 1996 election as transparent and fair. After the first round in which Jacinto Peynado (PRSC) was eliminated, the PRSC with Joaquín Balaguer endorsed Leonel Fernández (PLD). Results in the second round, 45 days later on 30 June, were tabulated quickly, and although the victory margin was narrow (1.5%), it was never questioned. The transition from incumbent administration to incoming administration was smooth and ushered in a new, modern era in Dominican political life.

Fernández' political agenda was one of economic and judicial reform. He helped enhance Dominican participation in hemispheric affairs, such as the Organization of American States and the follow-up to the Miami Summit. On 16 May 2000, Hipólito Mejía
Hipólito Mejía
Rafael Hipólito Mejía Domínguez is a Dominican politician and former President of the Dominican Republic...

, the Revolutionary Democratic Party candidate, was elected president
Dominican Republic presidential election, 2000
Presidential elections were held in the Dominican Republic on 16 May 2000. Hipólito Mejía of the Dominican Revolutionary Party won the election, defeating Danilo Medina of the Dominican Liberation Party and former president Joaquín Balaguer of the Social Christian Reformist Party...

 in another free and fair election. He defeated Dominican Liberation Party candidate Danilo Medina
Danilo Medina
Danilo Medina Sánchez is an economist, engineer and Dominican politician. He was the presidential candidate of the Dominican Liberation Party in the 2000 presidential election, and was defeated by Hipólito Mejía....

 49.8% to 24.84%. Former President Balaguer garnered 24.68% of the vote. Mejia entered office on 16 August with four priorities: education reform, economic development, increased agricultural production, and poverty alleviation. Mejía also champions the cause of Central American and Caribbean economic integration and migration, particularly as it relates to Haiti. On 16 May 2004, Leonel Fernández
Leonel Fernández
Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna is a Dominican lawyer, academic, and the current President of the Dominican Republic since 2004. He held the same office from 1996 to 2000...

,running on the Dominican Liberation Party, garnered about 57% of the vote. On 16 May 2008, Leonel Fernández
Leonel Fernández
Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna is a Dominican lawyer, academic, and the current President of the Dominican Republic since 2004. He held the same office from 1996 to 2000...

,running on the Dominican Liberation Party, garnered about 54% of the vote for a second consecutive term in office.

Elections

Presidential elections are held in the Dominican Republic every four years, on the 16 May. The candidate must gain a majority vote of at least 50% plus one to win the presidency in the first round. If none of the candidates obtains such majority, a second poll will take place 45 days later, at which the population will decide between the two candidates that had the best results during the first poll.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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