Repeat candidacies herald rift in Dominican Republic’s ruling party

Santo Domingo.- The president and a senior leader of Dominican Republic’s ruling party (PLD) on Sunday revealed the first indications of a rift, when the former predicted 20 more years in power, while the latter called for “alternate candidacies."

PLD president Leonel Fernandez predicted that the PLD will remain in power until 2036, forecasting its sixth consecutive win in 2016.

Speaking to inaugurate the PLD’s 8th Congress, the former President said the activity will be "a shocking revolution not only within our party but within Dominican society, because they involve a revitalization of democracy in our country."

He said the conclave will help the PLD "modernize, reform, restructure and reengineer.”

Alternation of power

Fernandez’s affirmation was rebutted separately yesterday by Temistocles Montas, a member of the Political Committee, the PLD’s top echelon, who called for the end of continuity once and for all and adopt the principle of alternation of power instead, because in his view, it’s the best way for a party to remain in power.

The also Minister of the Economy warned that when political organizations that stagnate with one candidate, they usually lose power easily.

He said with Danilo Medina’s arrival to the Presidency, the PLD had begun a process of changeability in the exercise of power, which he affirms prevents continuity in the political organization.

"I have told many colleagues who have approached me that the important thing is that in the PLD Danilo has begun a process of changeability in the exercise of power and the changeability is good for parties," the official said on “Sport Vision” Channel 35.