| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Congreso Nacional de la República / National Congress of the Republic |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Senado / Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
16 May 2010 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all the seats in the Senate on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
At stake in the May 2010 elections were 183 seats in the Chamber of Deputies (up from 178) and 32 seats in the Senate. They were the first to be held under the new Constitution, promulgated by the joint session of the both chambers of the Congress of the Republic in January 2010. The statutory term of the Congress remained at four years, but those members elected in 2010 will serve a six-year term in order to synchronize presidential, parliamentary and local elections in 2016.
In the previous elections held in May 2006, President Leonel Fernández' Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) won 96 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate. The opposition Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) took 82 and 10 seats.
Mr. Fernandez was first elected President in 1996, then again in 2004 and 2008. He pledged to construct an underground transport system in the capital, Santo Domingo, to ease traffic congestion. It became operational in January 2009. Mr Fernandez also enjoyed high popularity thanks to a stable economy.
The new Constitution - drafted by President Fernandez and PRD leader Miguel Vargas Maldonado - was overwhelmingly adopted by both chambers of the Congress, with only 14 votes against. It provides for an indefinite re-election of the president, but stipulates that the president cannot serve consecutive terms.
In all, 26 parties contested the 2010 elections. The PLD and its ally, the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) of Mr. Carlos Morales, were challenged by Mr. Vargas' PRD.
The PLD ran on the government's record, arguing that voting for PLD candidates meant voting for progress and development. President Fernandez pledged to amend the country's legislation to bring it in line with the new Constitution that prohibits human trafficking. This was in response to the problems posed by the country's construction and agriculture industries, which depend on labour that is "imported", often illegally, from neighbouring Haiti.
The PRD criticized the government for wasting money and failing to stem crime. It accused the PLD of misuse of State funds and massive vote-buying in the municipality of Samaná.
The government declared public holidays from 15 May to midday on 17 May to facilitate voting, which took place on 16 May. In all, 56.44 per cent of the 6.1 million registered voters turned out at the polls.
The elections were marred by violence, with five persons reportedly killed and 13 injured. President Fernandez condemned the violence.
The Organization of American States (OAS) monitored the polls. It recommended more effective control over the use of State funds during elections. It added that ballot papers should be redesigned to facilitate vote counting.
The ruling PLD and its allies swept 31 of the 32 Senate seats and the PRSC took the remaining seat. The PRD failed to win a Senate seat. The PLD and its allies took 105 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, while the PRD and its allies took 75. In all, 38 women were elected to the Chamber of Deputies and three to the Senate.
The newly-elected Congress held its first session on 16 August and elected Mr. Abel Martínez (PLD) as Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies while the Senate re-elected Mr. Reinaldo Pared Pérez of the same party as its President. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 16 May 2010 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
6'116'397
3'451'872 (56.44%)
139'895
3'311'977 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) and its allies |
31
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
29
3
9.38%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
Junta Central Electoral de la República Dominicana (02.06.2010)
http://www.jce.gov.do/PRENSA/tabid/74/Default.aspx |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
