Constitutional reform to go into public hearings

The bicameral committee that yesterday began studying the bill announcing the constitutional reforms could hold public hearings to hear the opinions of different sectors on the initiative of President Louis Abinader.

The president of the organization, Pedro Cattelan, said that in addition to Antoriano Peralta, the legal adviser of the executive branch, they could also invite lawyers, representatives of the Public Ministry, the Constitutional Court and civil society as a whole.

senator Pedro CattelanThe chairmen of the committees of both houses said that the meeting times for the above-mentioned days were agreed upon at the first meeting, which are 3:00 p.m. on Monday and 10:00 a.m. on Thursday and Friday.

“Before we started our first meeting, before we determined the working methods, we read the letters and bills sent by the executive, as well as Articles 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272 of the Magna Carta, to clarify the capacity, the methods and the route we must take to make such amendments,” Catrain said.

You may be interested in reading: Firmly oppose the reform plan

The committee consisted of nine senators and 18 representatives, with 25 legislators present and others serving as audience members.

Members of the bicameral commission made several recommendations, such as holding public hearings, which the organization’s president, Cattelan, did not rule out; in addition to hearing the opinions of legal experts, the Public Ministry, the Constitutional Court and representatives of civil society as a whole.

The project announced the need to reform Articles 81,166, 167, 169, 171, 178, 179, 209, 268 and 274 of the Constitution, with the aim of unifying the elections of the President, Congress, municipalities and other elected representatives by amending Articles 209 and 274 of the Magna Carta.

At the first meeting of the week, on Thursday, a weekly work calendar of Monday, Thursday and Friday was agreed.

The Vice President of the Senate also announced that the committee will extend an invitation to Executive Branch Legal Counsel Antoliano Peralta to present the bill sent by the executive branch to lawmakers on Monday at 3:00 p.m.

reform

Abinader’s initiative also proposes unifying presidential elections with congressional and municipal elections, to be held every four years on the third Sunday in May, so that all elected authorities could take office on August 16, starting with the 2032 elections.

The constitutional reform aims to amend Article 81 of the constitution to reduce the number of representatives from 190 to 137 starting in 2028.

Officials object

As the bicameral committee begins discussions, the government and the Modern Revolutionary Party are trying to appease “rebellious deputies” who are against President Louis Abinader’s proposal to reduce the number of deputies from 190 to 137. The argument of the MPs is that the representation of the communities will be lost.

Meanwhile, the Dominican Liberation Party and Popular Force parties claimed that constitutional reform was not a priority at the moment, but that the authorities were committed to resolving the issue.