The proposal to reduce the number of deputies from 190 to 137 would be one of the most controversial points in the discussions of the constitutional reform project submitted yesterday by the Executive Branch to the Senate.
President Luis Abinader proposes a reduction of 53 deputies that would cover the different constituencies. The project is on the agenda of today’s session of the Senate.
The first to protest against President Abinader’s initiative were legislators from the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM).
However, the President of the Republic and the PRM’s top leader has already warned his legislators that they are obliged to support the proposed constitutional reform that, among other amendments, would reduce the number of deputies. In his warning, the president used the term “so pena,” which means “under penalty of, under punishment of.”
Other pro-government legislators have been more cautious and, instead of directly opposing it, have suggested that this possibility should be studied in detail, taking into account the representation of each district.
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According to the constitutional reform project proposed yesterday by Abinader, the composition of the Lower House would be 137 deputies in total. Of these, 110 would be chosen by constituencies, 20 national and seven from abroad.
The current number of deputies in the country is 190, of which 178 are from constituencies, five are national deputies and seven are from abroad.
Article 81 of the Magna Carta would be modified to reduce the number of deputies.
“In order to adjust the number of representatives in the Chamber of Deputies to a total of one hundred and thirty-seven, without modifying the other election rules established in this provision, as follows: 1) One hundred and ten deputies elected by territorial constituency. 2) Twenty deputies elected at the national level by accumulation of votes. 3) Seven deputies elected to represent the Dominican community abroad,” the proposal states.
Complaints
Congressman Ramón Bueno opposed the elimination of 53 deputies, arguing that they represent low-income people and that the reduction in salary spending in Congress would not be significant compared to the annual government budget.
Deputy Ignacio Aracena, a legislator for the PRM, opposes the reduction proposed by Abinader and said that it is misguided and explained that the number of legislators cannot be reduced because congressmen are the representation of the people.
The articles
In the proposed constitutional reform submitted to the legislators, Abinader proposes modifications to the Magna Carta in 10 articles, including article 171, which would establish the inamovibility of the Attorney General of the Republic for two years, and not for four as had been initially proposed. Other articles that the Executive proposes to modify are 81, 166, 167, 169, 178, 179, 209, 268 and 274.
