‘Step aside,’ ruling party presidential candidacy hopeful asks leaders

Montecristi, Dominican Repubilc.- Presidential candidacy hopeful Temistocles Montas on Sunday said the country’s political leadership needs to learn to yield to its successors, making it easier for parties to support innovative proposals and ideas.

He said when leaders fail to spur generational succession in democratic processes, they become a problem for the organization under their helm, “when what’s needed is a solution.”

“Periodic renewals of the leadership in the democratic parties is essential,” Montás said, noting that in the case of the ruling PLD, it’s the only guarantee for it to continue as the most important political organization.

In a statement from his campaign, the also Economy Minister said the PLD’s entire rank-and-file should demand that their leaders act with a vision of statesmen and not just politicos, "because a politician thinks about the next election and the statesman thinks about the next generations."