The statutes prohibit the president and general secretary from aspiring to the presidency or vice-presidency, even if they resign
The Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) approved the statutory reform with which it seeks to shield itself from possible immediate or future rebellions for positions such as the presidential candidacy and establishes sanctions against those who make public statements contrary to party decisions.
The official party approved a chapter called “incompatibilities and prohibitions” and article 166 of that section prohibits the president and secretary general from aspiring to the presidency or vice presidency of the Republic even if they have resigned from those positions.
“The president and the general secretary of the Party may not aspire, even if they previously resign, to the Presidency and Vice Presidency of the Republic before the end of the mandate for which they have been elected or appointed,” it reads.
In the PRM it is given as a fact that José Paliza and Carolina Mejía will continue as the main authorities of that organization, which rules them out for the Presidency or Vice Presidency for 2024. Furthermore, whoever assumes these positions will not be able to present aspirations to lead the Executive Power until 2026, when the deadline for those elected this year for those positions will be fulfilled, since the PRM sanctions that possibility even in the event of a resignation.
The PRM statutes also oblige the president, general secretary, organization and electoral secretary to take leave of office if they aspire to an internal position or a popularly elected position.
“When the president, general secretary, organization secretary and electoral secretary aspire to a leadership or popularly elected position, they must automatically take leave from the moment they formalize the registration of their candidacy or pre-candidacy,” points out article 145.
The only numeral of that article adds that in the case of a president he will be replaced by the first vice president, of a secretary, by the first undersecretary, the same as in the case of the organization secretary and the electoral secretary, ”he points out.
In the event that the president of the PRM, José Ignacio Paliza aspires to continue in office, by that provision he would be replaced by Roberto Fulcar, who is the first vice president of the official party.
“In their performance and party and public actions, Party members and leaders must observe and comply with the rules on incompatibilities and prohibitions referred to in those articles,” says section 164.
Likewise, article 157 establishes that the candidates for president and general secretary have to present a list that includes three candidates for vice-president of the organization.
The statutes of that organization establish that upon resignation or other cause, the president will be replaced by the first vice president and the same for the general secretary. Article 165 prohibits a single person from holding more than one position in the official party.
The PRM prohibited by statute promoting candidacies for elected positions before the Central Electoral Board has formally started the pre-campaign. The statutory reform was approved last Sunday with the presence of President Luis Abinader and former President Hipólito Mejía.
Time requirement is from 2026
The PRM approved in the statutory reform the requirement of 5 years of uninterrupted militancy to aspire to the positions of president and general secretary of the organization.
In accordance with the provisions of article 151, in order to occupy the aforementioned positions at the other levels, it is required to have a minimum, uninterrupted militancy of three years and To be a member of the Executive Directorate, a minimum uninterrupted militancy of four is required. To be a member of the National Committee, a minimum uninterrupted militancy of three years is required.
The president of the PRM statutory reform commission, Eddy Olivares, explained that these articles come into force from the next convention, that is, 2026, due to what is established in the third final provision of the approved document.
“The modifications that are introduced in these Statutes to the current organization of the Party in relation to the creation, variation of membership and suppression of other of its organizations, as well as the requirements to aspire to positions of party leadership, will enter into force from the next Ordinary National Convention”, he points out. Olivares described as advanced and in harmony with the Constitution and the laws.
It is a serious fault to activate against the political line
For the members of the PRM, it would be a serious offense to commit any form of corruption in the exercise of public office, to disregard the decisions and agreements officially adopted by the qualified bodies and authorities, and to carry out any type of management on their own account or in favor of another organization or candidate. that is not of the party, or to the detriment of the party or its candidates without the express approval of the Executive Directorate.
It would also be a serious offense to promote actions aimed at achieving personal or group benefits to the detriment of the interests of the organization and its discipline and internal unity, a lack of manifest and public solidarity with the decisions adopted by the party, and making public statements that do not agree with the line of the organization in the doctrinal, strategic and tactical, or on political issues that compromise the PRM and its internal unity.
