The Senate of the Dominican Republic () is the upper house in the bicameral legislature of the Dominican Republic, and together with the Chamber of Deputies makes up the Congress.
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: 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; To approve or disapprove the appointment of ambassadors and heads of permanent missions accredited abroad to submit to the President of the Republic; 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; To elect the members of the Central Electoral Board and their deputies, with the vote of two thirds of those present; 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; 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; 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 (2024-2028)
Senators elected in the May 19, 2024 elections.
Senator Electoral List Party Votes % Province Lía Ynocencia Díaz Díaz SantanaPRMPRM74,73266.73AZUA Andrés GuillermoLama PérezPRMAPD34,49767.98BAHORUCO Moisés Ayala PérezPRMPRI53,22661.05BARAHONA Manuel MaríaRodríguez OrtegaPRMPRM20,72856.56DAJABÓN Omar LeonelFernández DomínguezFPFP256,05456.20DISTRITO NACIONALFranklin MartínRomero MorilloPRMPRM87,98772.87DUARTEJonhsonEncarnación DíazPRMPRM18,34563.23ELÍAS PIÑA Santiago JoséZorrillaPRMPRM27,06168.89EL SEIBO Carlos ManuelGómez UreñaPRMPRM74,03668.85ESPAILLAT Cristóbal Venerado AntonioCastillo LirianoPRMPRM24,44751.49HATO MAYOR María MercedesOrtiz DilonéPRMPRM35,37569.56HERMANAS MIRABAL DagobertoRodríguez AdamesPRMPRM15,72656.65INDEPENDENCIA Rafael BarónDuluc RijoPRMPLR51,63451.54LA ALTAGRACIA Eduard AlexisEspiritusanto CastilloFPFP57,65752.17LA ROMANA Ramón RogelioGenao DuránPRMPRSC106,47159.94LA VEGA AlexisVictoria YebPRMPRM51,32075.36MARÍA TRINIDAD SÁNCHEZ Héctor ElpidioAcosta RestituyoPRMPRM44,45557.92MONSEÑOR NOUEL BernardoAlemán RodríguezPRMPRM36,54270.78MONTE CRISTI Pedro AntonioTineo NúñezPRMPRM41,09342.93MONTE PLATA SecundinoVelázquez PimentelPRMPRM8,70961.00PEDERNALES JulitoFulcar EncarnaciónPRMPRM41,55152.58PERAVIA Ginnette AltagraciaBournigal Socías de JiménezPRMPRM80,50954.76PUERTO PLATA Pedro ManuelCatraín BonillaPRMPRM25,20750.97SAMANÁ Ricardode los Santos PolancoPRMPRM58,04972.50SÁNCHEZ RAMÍREZ GustavoLara SalazarPRMPRM158,05557.86SAN CRISTÓBAL Milciades AneudyOrtiz SajiúnPRMPRM22,73368.91SAN JOSÉ DE OCOA Félix RamónBautista RosarioFPFP66,81753.24SAN JUAN AracelisVillanueva FigueroaPRMPRM82,70562.48SAN PEDRO DE MACORÍS Daniel Enrique de JesúsRivera ReyesPRMPRM226,76563.06SANTIAGO Casimiro AntonioMarte FamiliaPRMPPG18,17256.82SANTIAGO RODRÍGUEZ Antonio ManuelTaveras GuzmánPRMPRM478,47054.17SANTO DOMINGO Odalis RafaelRodríguez RodríguezPRMPRM41,62863.24VALVERDE
Composition (2020-2024)
Senators elected in the July 2020 elections. This list contains the changes that occurred after the election until 1 May 2021.
Senator Electoral List Party Province LIA YNOCENCIADÍAZ SANTANAPRMPRMAzua MELANIASALVADOR JIMÉNEZPRMPRMBahoruco JOSÉ MANUELDEL CASTILLO SAVIÑÓNPLDPLDBarahona DAVID RAFAELSOSA CERDAPRSCFPDajabónFRANKLIN MARTÍNROMERO MORILLOPRMPRMDuarte SANTIAGO JOSÉZORRILLAPRMPRMEl SeiboARYS YVANLORENZO SUEROPLDPLDElías Piña CARLOSGÓMEZ UREÑAPRMPRSCEspaillat CRISTÓBAL VENERADO ANTONIOCASTILLO LIRIANOPRMPRMHato Mayor BAUTISTA ANTONIOROJAS GÓMEZPRSCFPHermanas Mirabal VALENTÍNMEDRANO PÉREZPLDPLDIndependencia VIRGILIOCEDANO CEDANOPRSCFPLa Altagracia IVÁN JOSÉSILVA FERNÁNDEZPRMPRMLa Romana RAMÓN ROGELIOGENAO DURÁNPRSCPRSCLa Vega ALEXISVICTORIA YEBPRMPRMMaría Trinidad Sánchez HÉCTOR ELPIDIOACOSTA RESTITUYOPRMPRMMonseñor Nouel RAMÓN ANTONIOPIMENTEL GÓMEZPRMPRMMonte Cristi LENÍNVALDEZ LÓPEZPRMPRMMonte Plata DIONIS ALFONSOSÁNCHEZ CARRASCOPLDFPPedernales MILCIADES MARINOFRANJUL PIMENTELPRMPRMPeravia GINNETTE ALTAGRACIABOURNIGAL SOCIAS DE JIMÉNEZPRMPRMPuerto Plata PEDRO MANUELCATRAÍN BONILLAPRMPRMSamaná FRANKLIN ALBERTORODRÍGUEZ GARABITOSFPFPSan Cristóbal JOSÉ ANTONIOCASTILLO CASADOBISFPSan José de Ocoa FÉLIX RAMÓNBAUTISTA ROSARIOPLDFPSan Juan FRANKLIN YSAÍASPEÑA VILLANOVAPLDFPSan Pedro de Macorís RICARDODE LOS SANTOS POLANCOPRMPRMSánchez Ramírez RAFAEL EDUARDOESTRELLA VIRELLADXCDXCSantiago CASIMIRO ANTONIOMARTE FAMILIAPRSCFPSantiago Rodríguez ANTONIO MANUELTAVERAS GUZMÁNPRMPRMSanto Domingo MARTÍN EDILBERTONOLASCO VARGASPRMPRMValverde FARIDE VIRGINIARAFUL SORIANOPRMPRMDistrito Nacional
Composition (2016-2020) Senators elected in the May 2016 elections. Senator Electoral List Party Province RAFAEL PORFIRIOCALDERÓN MARTÍNEZPLDPLDAzua MANUEL ANTONIOPAULAPLDPLDBahoruco EDIS FERNANDOMATEO VÁSQUEZPLDPLDBarahona ROSA SONIAMATEO ESPINOSAPLDPLDDajabónAMÍLCAR JESÚSROMERO PORTUONDOPLDPLDDuarte SANTIAGO JOSÉZORRILLAPRMPRMEl SeiboADRIANO DE JESÚSSÁNCHEZ ROAPLDPLDElías Piña JOSÉ RAFAELVARGAS PANTALEÓNPLDPLDEspaillat RUBÉN DARÍOCRUZ UBIERAPLDPLDHato Mayor LUIS RENÉCANAÁN ROJASPLDPLDHermanas MirabalJUAN ORLANDOMERCEDES SENAPLDPLDIndependencia AMABLEARISTY CASTROPLDPLRLa Altagracia AMARILIS SANTANACEDANO DE MARTÍNEZPLDPLDLa Romana EUCLIDES RAFAELSÁNCHEZ TAVÁREZPLDPLDLa VegaARÍSTIDESVICTORIA YEBPLDPLDMaria Trinidad Sanchez FÉLIX MARÍANOVA PAULINOPLDPLDMonseñor NouelHEINZ SIEGFRIEDVIELUF CABRERAPLDPLDMonte CristiCHARLES NOELMARIOTTI TAPIAPLDPLDMonte Plata DIONIS ALFONSOSÁNCHEZ CARRASCOPLDPLDPedernalesWILTON BIENVENIDOGUERRERO DUMÉPLDPLDPeravia JOSÉ IGNACIO RAMÓNPALIZA NOUELPRMPRMPuerto PlataPRIM PUJALSNOLASCOPLDFPSamaná TOMMY ALBERTOGALÁN GRULLÓNPLDPLDSan Cristóbal PEDRO JOSÉALEGRIA SOTOBISPLDSan José de OcoaFÉLIX RAMÓNBAUTISTA ROSARIOPLDPLDSan JuanJOSÉ EMETERIOHAZIM FRAPPIERPRSCPLDSan Pedro de MacorísFÉLIX MARÍAVÁSQUEZ ESPINALPLDPRDSánchez Ramírez JULIO CÉSARVALENTÍN JIMINIÁNPLDPLDSantiagoANTONIO DE JESÚSCRUZ TORRESPLDPLDSantiago RodríguezCRISTINA ALTAGRACIALIZARDO MÉZQUITAPLDPLDSanto Domingo MANUEL DE JESÚSGÜÍCHARDO VARGASPLDFPValverde REINALDO DE LAS MERCEDESPARED PÉREZPLDPLDDistrito Nacional
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 2024 Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) – – – – 2 17 24 Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) 3 2 3 4 1 6 1 Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) 3 1 22 28 26 6 0 Institutional Social Democratic Bloc (BIS) 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 People's Force (FP) – – – – – 1 3 Dominicans for Change (DXC) – – – – – 1 0 Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) 24 29 7 0 1 0 0 Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) – – – – 1 0 1 People First Party (PPC) – – – – – – 1 Alliance for Democracy (APD) – – – – – – 1 Independent Revolutionary Party (PRI) – – – – – – 1 Total 30 32 32 32 32 32 32
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
References
External links Senate of the Dominican Republic Senate of the Dominican Republic (Spanish)