Deputies seek approval today of Law of Parties in midst of accusations
The principal parties maintain their differing positions regarding the proposal
Diario Libre
SANTO DOMINGO. In the middle of questioning about the way in which it was approved in the first reading and accusations of illegality, the Chamber of Deputies will hear once agin today the legislative proposal for the Law of Parties and Political Groups in order to approve it in the second session. The attention is concentrated on the ordinary session set to start at 10:00 in the morning.
The Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) is opposed to the manner of approval and called for a demand of society, the National Congress, the PLD leadership, and the President of the Republic of an agreement on a proposal that is "inclusive, fair and absolutely democratic," which would be the result of the different positions, points of view and visions of the society.
The executive Vice President of the Institutionalism and Justice Foundation (Finjus), Servio Tulio Castaños Guzman, said that if the legislative proposal for the Law of Parties that was approved becomes law, the country will suffer a serious defeat in the long process of consolidating democracy and making transparent its political system.
They regretted that the project itself was once again presented and approved in the first reading in this chamber by a simple majority, ignoring the report of the Commission which declared that the Law of Parties is of an organic character, and that therefore it should be approved by means of the absolute majority. "To correct this situation is urgent and all the social and political sectors are called upon to contribute their opinion regarding this," they (PRM and Finjus) indicated separately.
The president of the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Federico Antun Batlle, said that the Law of Parties is not the one that resolves the problems of the election guarantees, but rather it will be the Electoral Law and the Code of Electoral Guarantees.
Is it unconstitutional?
PRD deputies Ruddy Gonzalez, Victor Gomez Casanova and Geovanny Tejada, the PRM deputies Nelson Arroyo and Alberto ATALLAH, and Christian Paredes of the MODA warned yesterday regarding the legality of the legislative proposal for the law approved, and they assured reporters that today they will vote against this initiative, just as they did in the first reading.
The spokesman for the PRD bloc of deputies, Gonzalez, warned that what was approved does not include the issues that the leadership of the parties agreed upon in a recent meeting with Monsignor Agripino Nuñez Collado, in which the president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Roberto Rosario took part.
Diario Libre found out that among the issues agreed-upon are the use of state resources, the female quota and the constitutional guarantees which cover the regulation of election campaigns and the use of the media to promote (government) officials who aspire to elective positions from the beginning of the campaign. Also, they had agreed that the Law of the Electoral Regime would be studied taking as a basis the proposal of the Law as presented by the JCE.
In the meantime, González, Gomez Casanova, Tejada and Atallah warned that if they approve the legislative proposal today with a simple majority of 50% plus one of the votes of those present they would file an appeal of unconstitutionality before the Constitutional Tribunal.
Arroyo does not trust in the decision that this tribunal might take
Regarding this, the spokesman for the PLD deputies, Ruben Maldonado, said that the opposition parties have "two faces" and that their posture demonstrates that in reality they do not want the existence of a Law of Parties.
Deputy Gustavo Sanchez said that with the modifications carried out to the proposal for the Law of Parties what the Lower Chamber did was to avoid the crisis that could present itself to the party leaderships.
Gustavo Sanchez, PLD - DN deputy
"The top leadership did not want to hear us. There was a consensus for the Central Electoral Board to referee the primaries. The Political Committee (of the PLD) was warned that this had to be modified."
Quique Antun Batlle, PRSC president
"The Law that they approved is not ideal, but it is a step forward. It changes in no way the situation of the political parties. It does not resolve the problem of the electoral guarantees."
Alberto Atallah, PRM - DN deputy
"This is a made to order law for the PLD. It is an organic law and using some tricks they said that it should be approved by a simple majority. They did not even have the votes needed to call the proposal ‘urgent'."
The voting
Last Tuesday, the Lower Chamber approved in a first reading and with modifications the legislative proposal for the Law of Parties.
Ninety three deputies voted in favor, 63 against and there were four who abstained. Of this number, 85 deputies of the PLD and eight of the PR SC voted in favor and 35 from the PRD, one from the APD, one from mold the and 26 from PRM voted against. Four PLD deputies did not vote.
The Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) is opposed to the manner of approval and called for a demand of society, the National Congress, the PLD leadership, and the President of the Republic of an agreement on a proposal that is "inclusive, fair and absolutely democratic," which would be the result of the different positions, points of view and visions of the society.
The executive Vice President of the Institutionalism and Justice Foundation (Finjus), Servio Tulio Castaños Guzman, said that if the legislative proposal for the Law of Parties that was approved becomes law, the country will suffer a serious defeat in the long process of consolidating democracy and making transparent its political system.
They regretted that the project itself was once again presented and approved in the first reading in this chamber by a simple majority, ignoring the report of the Commission which declared that the Law of Parties is of an organic character, and that therefore it should be approved by means of the absolute majority. "To correct this situation is urgent and all the social and political sectors are called upon to contribute their opinion regarding this," they (PRM and Finjus) indicated separately.
The president of the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Federico Antun Batlle, said that the Law of Parties is not the one that resolves the problems of the election guarantees, but rather it will be the Electoral Law and the Code of Electoral Guarantees.
Is it unconstitutional?
PRD deputies Ruddy Gonzalez, Victor Gomez Casanova and Geovanny Tejada, the PRM deputies Nelson Arroyo and Alberto ATALLAH, and Christian Paredes of the MODA warned yesterday regarding the legality of the legislative proposal for the law approved, and they assured reporters that today they will vote against this initiative, just as they did in the first reading.
The spokesman for the PRD bloc of deputies, Gonzalez, warned that what was approved does not include the issues that the leadership of the parties agreed upon in a recent meeting with Monsignor Agripino Nuñez Collado, in which the president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Roberto Rosario took part.
Diario Libre found out that among the issues agreed-upon are the use of state resources, the female quota and the constitutional guarantees which cover the regulation of election campaigns and the use of the media to promote (government) officials who aspire to elective positions from the beginning of the campaign. Also, they had agreed that the Law of the Electoral Regime would be studied taking as a basis the proposal of the Law as presented by the JCE.
In the meantime, González, Gomez Casanova, Tejada and Atallah warned that if they approve the legislative proposal today with a simple majority of 50% plus one of the votes of those present they would file an appeal of unconstitutionality before the Constitutional Tribunal.
Arroyo does not trust in the decision that this tribunal might take
Regarding this, the spokesman for the PLD deputies, Ruben Maldonado, said that the opposition parties have "two faces" and that their posture demonstrates that in reality they do not want the existence of a Law of Parties.
Deputy Gustavo Sanchez said that with the modifications carried out to the proposal for the Law of Parties what the Lower Chamber did was to avoid the crisis that could present itself to the party leaderships.
Gustavo Sanchez, PLD - DN deputy
"The top leadership did not want to hear us. There was a consensus for the Central Electoral Board to referee the primaries. The Political Committee (of the PLD) was warned that this had to be modified."
Quique Antun Batlle, PRSC president
"The Law that they approved is not ideal, but it is a step forward. It changes in no way the situation of the political parties. It does not resolve the problem of the electoral guarantees."
Alberto Atallah, PRM - DN deputy
"This is a made to order law for the PLD. It is an organic law and using some tricks they said that it should be approved by a simple majority. They did not even have the votes needed to call the proposal ‘urgent'."
The voting
Last Tuesday, the Lower Chamber approved in a first reading and with modifications the legislative proposal for the Law of Parties.
Ninety three deputies voted in favor, 63 against and there were four who abstained. Of this number, 85 deputies of the PLD and eight of the PR SC voted in favor and 35 from the PRD, one from the APD, one from mold the and 26 from PRM voted against. Four PLD deputies did not vote.
Diario Libre
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