Government and Politics of Dominican Republic

Government Type

representative democracy

Administrative Divisions

31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde

Legal System

based on French civil codes; undergoing modification in 2004 towards an accusatory system

Suffrage

18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth: No Citizenship by descent only: At least one parent must be a citizen of the Dominican Republic Dual citizenship recognized: Yes Residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Luis ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020); Vice President Raquel PEÑA de Antinori (since 16 August 2020); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Luis ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020); Vice President Raquel PEÑA de Antinori (since 16 August 2020); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 5 July 2020 (next to be held in May 2024) election results: Luis ABINADER Corona elected president; percent of vote - Luis ABINADER Corona (PRM) 52.5%, Gonzalo CASTILLO Terrero (PLD) 37.5%, Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (FP) 8.9%

Legislative Branch

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held in May 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held in May 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 73, PLD 41, PRSC 36

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by a the National Judicial Council comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and an opposition or non-governing party member)

Political Parties

Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Vicente Sanchez BARET]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ATUN]

Head of State

President Leonel Fernandez Reyna

Head of Government

President Leonel Fernandez Reyna

Cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Elections

president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held on 16 May 2008 (next to be held in May 2012)

Election Results

Leonel FERNANDEZ reelected president; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ 53.6%, Miguel VARGAS 41%, Amable ARISTY less than 5%

Constitution

28-Nov-66

Independence

27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

International Organization Participation

ACP, Caricom (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Flavio Dario Espinal JACOBO chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500 telephone: [1] (809) 221-5511 FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

Capital City

Santo Domingo

Location

18 28 N, 69 54 W

Time Difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

Named after Saint Dominic de GUZMAN (1170-1221), founder of the Dominican Order

The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy is located at the corner of Calle César Nicolás Penson and Avenida Máximo Gómez. The American Citizens Services (ACS) Unit can be reached by telephone at 809-221-2171, or via email at sdoamericans@state.gov. ACS Unit office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, Friday 7:30 a.m. to 11am, except on U.S. and Dominican holidays. The Chancery of the U.S. Embassy is located a quater-mile away from the Consular Section, at the corner of Calle César Nicolás Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro. The telephone number is 809-221-2171. There is a consular agency in Bavaro/Punta Cana, located in the Palma Real Shopping Center, 2nd floor. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 2p.m. to 5p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. The email is puntacanaconsularagency@state.gov. There is a consular agency in the north coast city of Puerto Plata, at Calle Villanueva esq. Avenida John F. Kennedy, Edificio Abraxa Libraria, 2nd floor, telephone 809-586-4204, 809-586-8017, 809-586-8023; office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 2p.m. to 5p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. The email is PuertoPlataConsularAgency@state.gov.

Military Branches

Army (Ejercito Nacional, EN), Navy (Marina de Guerra, MdG; includes naval infantry), Dominican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana, FAD)

Service Age and Obligation

17-21 years of age for voluntary military service; recruits must have completed primary school and be Dominican Republic citizens; women may volunteer