SANTO DOMINGO.- For deputy Danilo Díaz, member of the Political Committee of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), the ruling of the Constitutional Court (TC) that makes it easier for independent candidates to aspire to popularly elected positions without the requirements of an organized political party, as required by the Electoral Regime Law, 20-23.
Díaz responded to journalists who approached him in the National Congress about the ruling of the TC that eliminated requirements of the Electoral Law for independent candidates.
“This decision seems unfortunate to us. In places where independent candidacies have been presented, what has been done is that these candidates organize a structure that gives meaning to present a proposal to the electorate,” he commented.
The delegate of the Dominican Liberation Party to the Central Electoral Board considers that the sensible thing is that those who have aspirations and do not have party militancy, form a team and adjust to the requirements that organized political parties meet.
The Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional articles 152 and 157 of the Electoral Regime Law, which established that these candidacies must be presented through political groups “constituted in accordance with the Law of Political Parties, Groups and Movements.”
Nine judges of the TC voted in favor of eliminating these requirements, but two voted against considering that the plenary session exceeded its powers and assumed functions of the Legislative Branch.
Danilo Díaz considers that political parties and society as a whole have to pay attention to this case because there may be sectors behind the initiative with the purpose of discrediting political parties.
