Ruling party garners ‘more political benefits amid the chaos’

Santo Domingo.- As disputes rage pitting Dominican Republic’sruling party (PLD) and the opposition over the elections for city council presidencies,the bill for the Political Parties Law languishes in the lower Chamber, despitethat society and international institutions demand its approval.

The political parties haven’t even called for a mediator toseek consensus between the positions of the PLD and the opposition to avert violentincidents during next Tuesday’s voting to choose the heads of the city councils.

“The opposition has chosen the path of confrontation withthe understanding that the LDP intends to ‘take over all levels of power,”reports outlet elnacional.com.do.

“It turns out that without new Law on Political Parties andElectoral Guarantees the same abnormalities that occurred in the last May 15 willbe repeated in the 2020 elections,” the outlet said.

It said despite that the Political Parties Law has been in Congressfor more than 12 years, “amid this ambiance it’s almost impossible for the 16thof this month, when the second legislature opens and the new authorities assumetheir posts, for the referred initiatives to be debated.”

The deadlock is even more uncertain because minority partiesincluding the PRD that backed president Danilo Medina’s reelection fielded theirown municipal and congressional candidates.

Up and down

“It seems that despite that the PLD and the PRD have voicedsupport for the Political Parties Law for more than a decade, they forgot aboutit when they came to power, because they apparently find it more politically beneficialto function amid the chaos.”