SANTO DOMINGO.-In the middle of the pre-election year, the main actors of the political system in the Dominican Republic continue to debate the possibility of modifying the Electoral Regime Law 15-19, a piece that was dismembered by the high courts after containing unconstitutionality and administrative defects.
Under the current situation, the Central Electoral Board (JCE), the Economic and Social Council (CES), political parties, civil society entities and congressmen, accelerate the work for a possible modification prior to the end of the legislature next twelve of November.
The reservation about the possibility was broken yesterday by the president of the commission that studies the initiative that rests in the Chamber of Deputies, Elías Wessin Chávez.
The deputy declared that it would not be possible to achieve the piece before the date that limits the actions of the congressmen.
His position was not supported by the president of the Chamber, Alfredo Pacheco, but he did not dare to promise approval before the aforementioned date.
The debates against the proposal approved by the Senate range from the cap on campaign spending, the non-existence of a sanctioning regime, the preservation of the preferential vote for councilors and the failure to mention the aspects to be regulated in the digital universe.
Finjus Tips
Among the personalities that were received yesterday in the Chamber of Deputies, is the Institutionality and Justice Foundation (Finjus) who deposited a document containing observations on the legislative proposal.
“The bill approved by the Senate maintains the campaign spending ceilings established in the current law, 15-19, which handles highly questionable ceilings due to the high amounts stipulated, especially at the congressional and municipal levels,” read a document. signed by the vice president of the entity, Servio Castaños.
To the above, Finjus added the lax regulation that is observed in relation to the presentation of candidacy expense reports and the non-existence of sanctions for the violation of these ceilings.
Likewise, it was criticized that the capacity to control public resources used in the campaign was reduced, to the detriment of the principles of transparency and equity.
Finjus proposed a system of consequences strong enough whose effect is to discourage the use of resources above the spending ceilings that are established and the implementation of mechanisms that allow accountability and control of expenses associated with the election campaign.
They indicated that illegal behaviors and practices that are carried out from the digital spectrum are left out of the consequence systems, at least expressly, since the political actor could use the digital world to continue carrying out advertisements and other actions.
Gravity?
Despite the intentions of modification, the JCE has given way to the preparation of the elections under the current legal regime. It is delimited and worked previously.
party presidents
— The summoned
This Friday, the presidents of the recognized political parties are summoned to Congress, obviously including Danilo Medina, Leonel Fernández and Miguel Vargas Maldonado. The generality is that only delegates attend.
“No one can predict what is going to happen”
Position. Alfredo Pacheco stated that the special commission of the Chamber of Deputies that is in charge of studying the bill has defined a critical path of work, in order to have greater clarity around what should or should not be included in said bill. legislative piece.
He indicated that only after concluding with this critical path, which they are carrying out, which includes visits from the actors that have to do with this project, they will be able to draw conclusions, but while this happens, the commission is sovereign and the Plenary is sovereign.
“Neither I nor anyone else can predict what is going to happen, but as the rule dictates, we have decided to listen to the different sectors,” he said.
