Senate of the Dominican Republic

The Senate of the Dominican Republic (Spanish: Senado de la República Dominicana) is the upper legislative chamber in the bicameral legislature of the Dominican Republic, and together with the Chamber of Deputies makes up the Congress.

Senate of the Dominican Republic Senado de la República Dominicana
Seal of the Dominican Republic Senate
Flag of the Dominican Republic Senate
Type
Type	Upper house of the Congress of the Dominican Republic
Term limits	None
History
Founded	1844 and 1908[1]
New session started	August 16, 2016 (2016-08-16)
Leadership
President	Reinaldo Pared Pérez, PLD since August 16, 2016
Vice-President	Aristides Victoria Yeb, PLD since August 16, 2018
Majority Leader	Rafael Porfirio Calderon Martinez, PLD since August 16, 2018
Minority Leader	Amarilis Santana Cedano, PLD since August 16, 2018
Structure
Seats	32
Political groups	PRM and allies (18)   PRM: 17 seats   DXC: 1 seat Opposition (14)   PLD: 6 seats   PRSC: 6 seats   BIS: 1   FP: 1
Length of term	4 years
Elections
Voting system	First past the post mixed of a plurality and a transferable vote from the given to any same party deputies candidates in the Province.
Last election	July 5, 2020
Next election	2024
Meeting place
Congress Palace, Santo Domingo
Website
http://www.senado.gob.do/senado/

The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Third Title, Chapter 1 in the First Section of the Dominican Constitution. Each province, and the Distrito Nacional, regardless of population, is represented by one senator who serves for a four-year term, with possibility of reelection. The Senate Chamber is located in the west wing of the Congress Palace, in Santo Domingo. The Chamber of Deputies convenes in the east wing of the same building.

The Senate has several advice and consent powers not granted to the Chamber of Deputies, including consenting to treaties, loans and contracts as a precondition to their ratification and consenting to or confirming appointments the members of Chamber of Accounts, Central Electoral Board and ambassadors. The Senate is widely considered both a more deliberative and more prestigious body than the Chamber of Deputies. Due to its smaller size and statewide constituencies, the Senate has historically had a more collegial and less partisan atmosphere.

Membership

Qualifications

The constitution of the Dominican Republic states that to be a senator, one must be a Dominican in full exercise of civil and political rights, have attained twenty-five years old, and be a native of the territorial demarcation that choose or have resided there for at least five consecutive years. In consequence:

• The senators must reside in the territorial demarcation from which they are elected during their elected terms of office;
• Naturalized persons may be elected to the Senate ten years after having acquired Dominican nationality, provided they have resided in the territorial demarcation (jurisdiction) from which they seek election for a period of at least five years prior to their election.

Election and Terms

The members of the Senate in Dominican Republic are elected by the D'Hondt method in relationship with the deputies. The terms for serving as senator are unlimited, one term corresponds to four years.

Oath

The internal rules of procedure of the Senate requires that senators take an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution. Congress has prescribed the following oath for all senators:

The oath to be provided is:

"I SWEAR TO GOD, THE HOMELAND AND MY HONOR, RESPECT CONSTITUTION AND LAWS AND COMPLY WITH DIGNITY AND THE FAITHFULLY OTHER DUTIES OF MY OFFICE",

what will be answered as follows:

"IF I DO SO, GOD AND THE PEOPLE WHAT OS REWARD IF I NOT, THAT I DEMAND IT. "

Majority and minority parties

The "Majority party" is the political party that either has a majority of seats or can form a coalition or caucus with a majority of seats; if two or more parties are tied, the vice president's affiliation determines which party is the majority party. The next-largest party is known as the minority party.

Seating

The majority party or the party with more senators traditionally sits to the presiding officer's right, and the minority party or the party with less senator traditionally sits to the presiding officer's left, regardless which party has a majority of seats.

Functions and Powers

The exclusive powers of the Senate are:

1. Know the allegations made by the Chamber of Deputies against and public officials. The plea leaves the person removed from office, and may not perform any public function, whether or not popularly elected for a term of ten years. The destitute person shall be subject, if any, to be charged and tried by the ordinary courts, in accordance with the law. This decision shall be taken by a vote of two-thirds of enrollment;
2. To approve or disapprove the appointment of ambassadors and heads of permanent missions accredited abroad to submit to the President of the Republic;
3. To elect the members of the Chamber of Accounts of the lists presented by the Chamber of Deputies, with the vote of two thirds of the senators present;
4. To elect the members of the Central Electoral Board and their deputies, with the vote of two thirds of those present;
5. Choose the Ombudsman, their deputies and their deputies from the triads to submit to the House of Representatives, by a vote of two-thirds of those present;
6. To authorize, upon request of the President of the Republic, in the absence of agreement permitted, the presence of foreign troops in military exercises in the territory of the Republic, as well as determine the time and conditions of their stay;
7. To approve or disapprove of sending troops abroad in peacekeeping missions authorized by international organizations, setting the conditions and duration of the mission.

Current composition (2020- )

Senators elected in the July 2020 elections.

Senator	Electoral List	Party	Province
LIA YNOCENCIA DÍAZ SANTANA	PRM	PRM	Azua
MELANIA SALVADOR JIMÉMEZ	PRM	PRM	Bahoruco
JOSÉ MANUEL DEL CASTILLO SAVIÑÓN	PLD	PLD	Barahona
DAVID RAFAEL SOSA CERDA	PRSC	PRSC	Dajabón
FARIDE VIRGINIA RAFUL SORIANO	PRM	PRM	D.N.
FRANKLIN MARTÍN ROMERO MORILLO	PRM	PRM	Duarte
ARYS YVAN LORENZO SUERO	PLD	PLD	Elías Piña
SANTIAGO JOSÉ ZORRILLA	PRM	PRM	El Seibo
CARLOS GÓMEZ UREÑA	PRM	PRSC	Espaillat
CRISTÓBAL VENERADO ANTONIO CASTILLO LIRIANO	PRM	PRM	Hato Mayor
BAUTISTA ANTONIO ROJAS GÓMEZ	PRSC	PRSC	Hermanas Mirabal
VALENTÍN MEDRANO PÉREZ	PLD	PLD	Independencia
VIRGILIO CEDANO CEDANO	PRSC	PRSC	La Altagracia
IVÁN JOSÉ SILVA FERNÁNDEZ	PRM	PRM	La Romana
RAMÓN ROGELIO GENAO DURÁN	PRSC	PRSC	La Vega
ALEXIS VICTORIA YEB	PRM	PRM	María Trinidad Sánchez
HÉCTOR ELPIDIO ACOSTA RESTITUYO	PRM	PRM	Monseñor Nouel
RAMÓN ANTONIO PIMENTEL GÓMEZ	PRM	PRM	Monte Cristi
LENÍN VALDEZ LÓPEZ	PRM	PRM	Monte Plata
DIONIS ALFONSO SÁNCHEZ CARRASCO	PLD	PLD	Pedernales
MILCIADES MARINO FRANJUL PIMENTEL	PRM	PRM	Peravia
GINNETTE ALTAGRACIA BOURNIGAL SOCIAS DE JIMÉNEZ	PRM	PRM	Puerto Plata
PEDRO MANUEL CATRAÍN BONILLA	PRM	PRM	Samaná
RICARDO DE LOS SANTOS POLANCO	PRM	PRM	Sánchez Ramírez
FRANKLIN ALBERTO RODRÍGUEZ GARABITOS	FP	FP	San Cristóbal
JOSÉ ANTONIO CASTILLO CASADO	BIS	BIS	San José de Ocoa
FÉLIX RAMÓN BAUTISTA ROSARIO	PLD	PLD	San Juan
FRANKLIN YSAIAS PEÑA VILLANOVA	PLD	PLD	San Pedro de Macorís
RAFAEL EDUARDO ESTRELLA VIRELLA	DXC	DXC	Santiago
CASIMIRO ANTONIO MARTE FAMILIA	PRSC	PRSC	Santiago Rodríguez
ANTONIO MANUEL TAVERAS GUZMÁN	PRM	PRM	Santo Domingo
MARTÍN EDILBERTO NOLASCO VARGAS	PRM	PRM	Valverde

Composition (2016-2020)

Senators elected in the May 2016 elections.

Senator	Electoral List	Party	Province
RAFAEL PORFIRIO CALDERÓN MARTÍNEZ	PLD	PLD	Azua
MANUEL ANTONIO PAULA	PLD	PLD	Bahoruco
EDIS FERNANDO MATEO VÁSQUEZ	PLD	PLD	Barahona
ROSA SONIA MATEO ESPINOSA	PLD	PLD	Dajabón
REINALDO DE LAS MERCEDES PARED PÉREZ	PLD	PLD	D.N.
AMÍLCAR JESÚS ROMERO PORTUONDO	PLD	PLD	Duarte
ADRIANO DE JESUS SÁNCHEZ ROA	PLD	PLD	Elías Piña
SANTIAGO JOSÉ ZORRILLA	PRM	PRM	El Seibo
JOSÉ RAFAEL VARGAS PANTALEÓN	PLD	PLD	Espaillat
RUBÉN DARÍO CRUZ UBIERA	PLD	PLD	Hato Mayor
LUIS RENÉ CANAÁN ROJAS	PLD	PLD	Hermanas Mirabal
JUAN ORLANDO MERCEDES SENA	PLD	PLD	Independencia
AMABLE ARISTY CASTRO	PLD	PLR	La Altagracia
AMARILIS SANTANA CEDANO DE MARTÍNEZ	PLD	PLD	La Romana
EUCLIDES RAFAEL SÁNCHEZ TAVÁREZ	PLD	PLD	La Vega
ARÍSTIDES VICTORIA YEB	PLD	PLD	Maria Trinidad Sanchez
FÉLIX MARÍA NOVA PAULINO	PLD	PLD	Monseñor Nouel
HEINZ SIEGFRIED VIELUF CABRERA	PLD	PLD	Monte Cristi
CHARLES NOEL MARIOTTI TAPIA	PLD	PLD	Monte Plata
DIONIS ALFONSO SÁNCHEZ CARRASCO	PLD	PLD	Pedernales
WILTON BIENVENIDO GUERRERO DUMÉ	PLD	PLD	Peravia
JOSÉ IGNACIO RAMÓN PALIZA NOUEL	PRM	PRM	Puerto Plata
PRIM PUJALS NOLASCO	PLD	FP	Samaná
FÉLIX MARÍA VÁSQUEZ ESPINAL	PLD	PRD	Sánchez Ramírez
TOMMY ALBERTO GALÁN GRULLÓN	PLD	PLD	San Cristóbal
PEDRO JOSÉ ALEGRIA SOTO	BIS	PLD	San José de Ocoa
FÉLIX RAMÓN BAUTISTA ROSARIO	PLD	PLD	San Juan
JOSÉ EMETERIO HAZIM FRAPPIER	PRSC	PLD	San Pedro de Macorís
JULIO CÉSAR VALENTÍN JIMINIÁN	PLD	PLD	Santiago
ANTONIO DE JESÚS CRUZ TORRES	PLD	PLD	Santiago Rodríguez
CRISTINA ALTAGRACIA LIZARDO MÉZQUITA	PLD	PLD	Santo Domingo
MANUEL DE JESÚS GÜÍCHARDO VARGAS	PLD	FP	Valverde

Party strengths in the Senate

The following table shows the composition of the Senate at the start of the most recent legislative periods.

Party	1998	2002	2006	2010	2016	2020
Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD)	24	29	7	0	1	0
Dominican Liberation Party (PLD)	3	1	22	28	26	6
Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM)	-	-	-	-	2	17
Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC)	3	2	3	4	1	6
Institutional Social Democratic Bloc (BIS)	0	0	0	0	1	1
Liberal Reformist Party (PLR)	-	-	-	-	1	0
Dominicans for Change (DXC)	-	-	-	-	-	1
People's Force (FP)	-	-	-	-	-	1
Total	30	32	32	32	32	32

References

1. Checo, José Chez; Sang, Mu-Kien Adriana. "Historia de la Cámara de Diputados - TOMO I. 1844-1978" (PDF). www.camaradediputados.gob.do.

See also

• Politics of the Dominican Republic
• List of political parties in the Dominican Republic
• List of Presidents of the Senate of the Dominican Republic

External links

• Senate of the Dominican Republic
• Senate of the Dominican Republic (Spanish)