Constitution of the Dominican Republic

Constitution of the Dominican Republic

Published in the Official Gazette No. 10805 of July 10, 2015
Author(s) Congress of the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has gone through 38 constitutions, more than any other country, since its independence in 1845.[1] This statistic is a somewhat deceiving indicator of political stability, however, because of the Dominican practice of promulgating a new constitution whenever an amendment was ratified. Although technically different from each other in some particular provisions, most new constitutions contained in reality only minor modifications of those previously in effect. Sweeping constitutional innovations were actually relatively rare.[2]

The large number of constitutions does, however, reflect a basic lack of consensus on the rules that should govern the national political life. Most Dominican governments felt compelled upon taking office to write new constitutions that changed the rules to fit their own wishes. Not only did successive governments often strenuously disagree with the policies and the programs of their predecessors, but they often rejected completely the institutional framework within which their predecessors had operated. Constitutionalism—loyalty to a stable set of governing principles and laws rather than to the person who promulgates them—became a matter of overriding importance in the Dominican Republic only after the death of Rafael Trujillo.[2]

Dominicans historically had agreed that government should be representative and vaguely democratic, that there should be civil and political rights, separation of powers, and checks and balances. Beyond that, however, consensus broke down. The country actually had been alternately dominated throughout its history by two constitutional traditions, one relatively democratic and the other authoritarian. Rarely were there attempts to bridge the gap between these diametric opposites.[2]

The present Constitution was proclaimed on June 13, 2015.[3] It is the same Constitution of January 26, 2010 except for the amendment made to Article 124 adopting the American system that allows the President to run for a second term.

Constitutions through Trujillo

The first Dominican constitution was promulgated on November 6, 1844, immediately after the nation achieved independence from Haiti. It was a liberal document with many familiar elements—separation of powers, checks and balances, and a long list of basic rights. However, an authoritarian government replaced the country's liberal, democratic government during its first year. The new regime proceeded to write its own constitution. This second constitution considerably strengthened the executive, weakened the legislative and the judicial branches, and gave the president widespread emergency powers, including the power to suspend basic rights and to rule by decree. Thereafter, governance of the country often alternated between liberal and authoritarian constitutional systems.[2]

Even the dictator Rafael Trujillo always took care to operate under the banner of constitutionalism. Under Trujillo, however, the legislature was simply a rubber stamp; the courts were not independent; and basic rights all but ceased to exist. He governed as a tyrant, unfettered by constitutional restrictions.[2]

Constitutions after Trujillo

After Trujillo's death in 1961, the constitution was amended to provide for new elections and to allow the transfer of power to an interim Council of State. Although promulgated as a new document, the 1962 constitution was actually a continuation of the Trujillo constitution, and it was thus unpopular.[2]

In 1964, Juan Bosch's freely elected, social-democratic government drafted a new and far more liberal constitution. It separated church and state, put severe limits on the political activities of the armed forces, established a wide range of civil liberties, and restricted the rights of property relative to individual rights. These provisions frightened the more conservative elements in Dominican society, which banded together to oust Bosch and his constitution in September 1963. Subsequently, the more conservative 1962 constitution was restored. In the name of constitutionalism, Bosch and his followers launched a revolution in 1965, the objective of which was restoration of the liberal 1963 constitution.[2]

Largely as a result of the United States military intervention of April 1965, the civil war had died down by 1966. With Joaquín Balaguer and his party in control, the Dominicans wrote still another constitution. This one was intended to avert the conflicts and polarization of the past by combining features from both the liberal and the conservative traditions. The 1966 Constitution incorporated a long list of basic rights, and it provided for a strengthened legislature; however, it also gave extensive powers to the executive, including emergency powers. In this way, the country sought to bridge the gap between its democratic and its authoritarian constitutions, by compromising their differences.[2]

Later constitutions were enacted in 1994 and 2002.[4]

Constitution of 2010

Centre-right President Leonel Fernández ordered for a new constitution to be drafted. The constitution has faced notable criticism, both abroad and at home, with opponents referring to it as an "injustice" and as "step backwards" for ensuring of human rights in the country, especially towards women and homosexuals. A complete ban on all forms of same-sex unions[5] and abortion (Article 55[6]) was included at the behest of the Roman Catholic Church[7] and Evangelical Christians.[8] As a result, the Dominican Republic has become the sixth jurisdiction in the world with a complete (no exceptions) ban on abortion (after Chile, Malta, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Vatican City), and the first country in the world to constitutionally ban all forms of recognition for same-sex couples.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cordeiro, Jose Luis (2008-09-29). "Constitutions around the world : A View from Latin America". Ideas.repec.org. Retrieved 2016-11-06.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Jonathan Hartlyn. "Constitutional Development". Dominican Republic: A country study (Richard A. Haggerty, ed.). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (December 1989).  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ↑ Republic, Dominican (2013-12-21). Constitution of the Dominican Republic. Gaceta Judicial.
  4. ↑ "Dominican Republic: Constitutions". Pdba.georgetown.edu. Retrieved 2016-11-06.
  5. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-06-27. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
  6. ↑ https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Dominican_Republic_2010.pdf
  7. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-06-27. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
  8. ↑ "International Groups Pressure Dominican Government to Remove Pro-Life Constitutional Provisions as F | News | LifeSite". Lifesitenews.com. 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2016-11-06.

Further reading

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