Santo Domingo .-Preventing future modifications to the constitutional rules for presidential elections, consolidating the independence of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, reducing the number of deputies and unifying the holding of elections are the four proposals contained in the constitutional reform that President Luis Abinader has called: “A shield for democracy.”
The head of the nation said that this is a reform designed for the benefit of the community and for the consolidation of the principles of democracy, transparency and institutionality that he has always defended.
He pointed out that they would introduce the petrous clauses, which limit power, that is, “which cannot be modified as it also exists in other constitutions. And why take it to this point? Because those 31 modifications that the Constitution has undergone have been to modify the rules of presidential election.”
I point out that this action has brought about “disastrous consequences for the country, for tranquility and for democracy.”
He said that another way to prevent or lock Article 278 with a new general rule would be that no elected official may benefit from a constitutional reform during his term when it concerns the rules of nomination, election and permanence of the office he holds.
He also explained that although there is a difference of opinion among lawyers and constitutional specialists on whether a transitional provision is warranted with regard to his current position as head of the nation, he decided to “include a transitional provision that reiterates the impossibility of the current President of the Republic to run again in the 2028 elections or any other.”
Independence
Regarding the independence of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, he stressed that the requirements and method of appointment of the Attorney General and his deputy attorneys will have the additional requirement of political independence; they will be appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary at the proposal of the President of the Republic, with a non-removable status during the four years of the constitutional period and removal only through impeachment.
Another novelty of the proposal would be the exclusion of the Attorney General from the National Council of the Judiciary.
“We are going to differentiate the State’s policy against crime from the investigation and criminal prosecution that is the responsibility of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. To this end, we would propose a law to create the Ministry of Justice,” he said.
Reduction in deputies
Abinader described that the reform project contemplates reducing the number of deputies from 190 to 137, for a reduction of 53 legislators in the Lower House.
The president indicated that the reform will seek to unify municipal elections with presidential and congressional elections, effective from 2032.
The opposition
– Previously
Asked about the support of opposition parties, he recalled that they had started talks with some of them and that they would continue.
Inappropriate space to discuss reforms
Organization. Guadalupe Valdez, general secretary of Foro Ciudadano, considered that the space of “La Semanal” is not the most appropriate for dialogue and agreement on proposals with such varied sectors.
He said that as a group, they recognize the importance of the reforms that the president has announced, including constitutional, fiscal, social security, state and labor reforms.
He suggested using institutional spaces, such as the Economic and Social Council (ESC), to develop a process of dialogue on the proposed reforms, in addition to establishing communication channels.
