Dominican Republic: Constitutional Reforms Come into Force This Sunday

Ceremony held at the National Congress (bicameral) in which were present the country’s president, Luis Abinader, and vice president, Raquel Peña. to proclaim the reforms. Photo: X/ @PresidenciaRD

October 27, 2024 Hour: 2:02 pm

The Dominican Republic enacted constitutional reforms this Sunday, including a reduction of 20 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and a provision that prevents the Constitution from being amended to benefit the sitting president.

It also establishes that national elections will be unified starting in 2032, and it grants greater independence to the Public Ministry, whose functions are also defined.

The proclamation of the new Constitution was carried out by the president of the Revising National Assembly, Senator Ricardo de los Santos, in a ceremony held at the National Congress (bicameral), attended by the country’s president, Luis Abinader, and the vice president, Raquel Peña.

The fortieth amendment to the Dominican Constitution makes it impossible for the top executive to attempt to remain in power beyond what is provided in the constitutional text, which allows consecutive re-election, and “never again” To re-run for the posts of President and Vice-President.

“Those who doubted that this was possible will now have to take my word for it. For the first time in the Dominican Republic, a president with the necessary majority to amend the Constitution and extend his term has decided to stick to what the Constitution says,” president Luis Abinader stated in a speech after the proclamation of the amendments.

Hoy se proclamó la nueva Constitución de la República Dominicana, con la asistencia de autoridades civiles y militares.#diariodelpaísrd pic.twitter.com/nTZTE0eBpr
— Diario del Pais (@DiarioDelPaisRD) October 27, 2024

_{“The new Dominican Republic Constitution was proclaimed today, with the assistance of civil and military authorities.“}

The National Constituent Assembly, which approved the new Constitution on October 14 of this year, determined that the number of deputies will decrease from 190 to 170 starting with the elections in May 2032, when the national elections will be unified, along with the elections for international parliamentary bodies.

The Dominican Constitution now provides that the Attorney General will no longer be part of the National Council of the Judiciary (CNM), a position to be held by the president of the Constitutional Court.

The CNM, headed by the President of the Republic, will select the Attorney General and his deputies who must be Dominicans by birth, over 35 years old, and not have been involved in active politics for the last five years.

President Abinader said that these changes seek to ensure that power is in the hands of the people and mark the end of caudillismo, stressing that institutions are stronger than individuals.

Furthermore, any future amendment to the Constitution will have to be submitted to a referendum, although there is currently no law regulating this process. The National Congress has seven legislatures to create the necessary laws in this regard.