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Political system and lawmaking: how power and rule changes work

Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Stable

The Dominican Republic is a unitary presidential republic. The President, 32 senators, the deputies and local officials serve four year terms that end on 16 August, and a President may serve two consecutive terms, then never again. The current term ends on 16 August 2028. Municipal elections fall on 20 February 2028 and national ones on 21 May 2028, with any runoff on 25 June, and all votes merge from 2032. Bills need two readings in each chamber. Tax laws need Congress. The Constitution guarantees equal treatment of foreign investment and prior payment for expropriation.

Key facts

Presidential term	4 yearsConstitución art. 124, as of 2024-10-27 · in force
End of current term	2028-08-16 dateConstitución art. 274, as of 2024-10-27 · in force
Next national election	2028-05-21 dateJCE calendar for 2028, as of 2026-02-25 · in force
Next municipal election	2028-02-20 dateJCE calendar for 2028, as of 2026-02-25 · in force
Possible presidential runoff	2028-06-25 dateJCE calendar for 2028, as of 2026-02-25 · in force
Senate seats	32 seatsConstitución art. 78, as of 2024-10-27 · in force
Senate term	4 yearsConstitución art. 78 and art. 274, as of 2024-10-27 · in force
Chamber seats in the constitutional text	170 seatsConstitución art. 81, as of 2024-10-27 · in force
Chamber term	4 yearsConstitución art. 274, as of 2024-10-27 · in force
Days for the President to return a bill	10 daysConstitución art. 102, as of 2024-10-27 · in force
Vote to override	two thirds of those present in each chamber ruleConstitución art. 102, as of 2024-10-27 · in force
Vote for organic laws	two thirds of those present in both chambers ruleConstitución art. 112, as of 2024-10-27 · in force
Vote for constitutional amendment	two thirds of votes in the revising assembly ruleConstitución art. 271, as of 2024-10-27 · in force
Who sets taxes	Congress by law ruleConstitución art. 93, as of 2024-10-27 · in force
Expropriation payment	prior payment of fair value, except emergency or defense ruleConstitución art. 51, as of 2024-10-27 · in force

The rule

1. Executive power rests with the President, elected every four years by direct vote. A President may seek one consecutive term and can never again run for that office or the vice presidency. The transitory rules state that the President elected in May 2024 can never run again.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 124 and transitoria décima, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

2. A presidential candidate needs more than half of valid votes. Otherwise a runoff between the top two takes place on the last Sunday of June. Terms start on 16 August.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 209 num. 1, art. 126 and art. 274, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

3. Elections are held together on the third Sunday of May every four years. As an exception, the 2028 municipal elections take place on the third Sunday of February, with terms starting on 24 April 2028 and ending on 16 August 2032, so the merged vote first applies in 2032.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 209, transitoria quinta and séptima, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: The 2024 reform unified municipal and national elections from 2032.

4. The electoral board presented its calendar on 25 February 2026: municipal elections on 20 February 2028, presidential and congressional elections on 21 May 2028, and a possible runoff on 25 June 2028, with 408 administrative activities and 117 legal deadlines. It also covers internal party processes in 2027.Junta Central Electoral, nota de 25 de febrero de 2026, Calendario 2028, 2026-02-25 official text · verified 2026-10-30

5. Congress has two chambers. The Senate has one member for each province and one for the Distrito Nacional, 32 in all, for four year terms. The Chamber's text provides 158 territorial deputies, 5 national deputies and 7 for Dominicans abroad, which adds to 170.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 76, art. 78 and art. 81, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: The text in force gives 170 seats and transitoria primera sets the 2028 distribution on the 2024 voter roll.

6. Congress sits in two ordinary legislatures of 150 days each, starting on 27 February and 16 August. The Executive can call extraordinary sessions. Bills pending at the close of a legislature carry over to the next one.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 89 and art. 104, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

7. Senators and deputies, the President, the Supreme Court in judicial matters and the electoral board in electoral matters can propose laws. Each bill has two discussions in each chamber, at least one day apart, or in consecutive sessions if declared urgent.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 96, art. 98 and art. 99, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

8. Ordinary laws pass by an absolute majority of those present. Organic laws, covering rights, the electoral system, the economic and financial regime, the budget and planning, need two thirds of those present in both chambers. Each chamber needs more than half of its members present to sit.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 84, art. 112 and art. 113, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

9. The President promulgates or returns a bill within 10 days, or 5 if urgent, and must publish it within 10 days after that. A returned law becomes final if two thirds of those present in each chamber approve it again. If Congress does not decide within two ordinary legislatures, the objection stands.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 101, art. 102 and art. 103, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

10. Only Congress can set taxes. Tax exemptions can be acquired only through concessions authorized by law or contracts approved by Congress. The tax regime rests on legality, justice, equality and equity.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 93 num. 1 lit. a, art. 243 and art. 244, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

11. Business activity, public or private, receives the same legal treatment, and equal conditions are guaranteed to national and foreign investment within the Constitution and the laws. Special treatment is allowed for less developed areas, in particular border provinces.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 221, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

12. Nobody may be deprived of property except for public utility or social interest, with prior payment of fair value set by agreement or by a court. In a state of emergency or defense, payment may not be prior. Laws apply only to the future, and neither public powers nor the law can impair legal certainty from situations established under earlier law.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 51 num. 1 and art. 110, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

13. The Tribunal Constitucional has 13 judges and decides by nine or more votes. Its rulings are final and bind all public powers.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 184 and art. 186, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

14. Ratified treaties apply domestically once officially published. The Constitution is amended by a revising assembly called by a law the President cannot veto, with two thirds of votes. Reforms on rights, territory, nationality, currency or the amendment process itself need a referendum, with an express exception for the 2024 reform.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 26, art. 270 to art. 272 and transitoria sexta, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

15. The State is unitary. The territory is divided into the Distrito Nacional and regions, provinces and municipalities set by law. The region is the basic unit for public policy. The Distrito Nacional, municipalities and municipal districts have their own assets and budget autonomy.Constitución de la República 2024, art. 193, art. 196 and art. 199, 2024-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Date	Event
First Sunday of July 2027	Pre campaign period for 2028 begins (press report of the electoral rules)
20 February 2028	Municipal elections
24 April 2028	Municipal officials take office
21 May 2028	Presidential and congressional elections
25 June 2028	Runoff if needed
16 August 2028	New term starts
Third Sunday of May 2032	First unified election
16 August 2032	Municipal term ends

Political calendar to 2032. Sources: Constitución de la República 2024; Junta Central Electoral.

Step	Rule	Article
Proposal	Legislators, President, Supreme Court or electoral board in their fields	art. 96
First chamber	Two discussions at least one day apart	art. 98
Second chamber	Same process; changes go back	art. 99
Promulgation	10 days, or 5 if urgent	art. 101
Objection	Two thirds in each chamber to override	art. 102
Effect	Binding once publication periods pass	art. 109

How a law is made. Source: Constitución de la República 2024.

Worked example

Reform timing for a deal. A bill filed when a legislature opens on 16 August runs for 150 days to about mid January, then carries over to the legislature of 27 February. Two chambers and two readings each mean a contested bill often takes months. Ley 30-26 is a recent example of a major tax law; see the reform tracker.
Election effect on planning. A project signed in late 2026 will cross the February and May 2028 votes and the 16 August 2028 handover. Since the sitting President cannot run, plan for a new administration from that date.
Reported 2024 result (press reports of JCE Resolution 41-2024): the incumbent won in the first round with 2,507,297 of 4,365,147 valid votes, or 57.44 percent. Press also reports a large majority for the governing party and allies in both chambers, with seat counts that vary by outlet.

Step by step

1. Track bills in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies and the reform tracker.
2. Check which majority a measure needs: ordinary laws by an absolute majority of those present, organic laws by two thirds, and budget changes under art. 234 and art. 235.
3. Treat any contract with the State that grants exemptions as needing Congress (art. 244).
4. Note 27 February and 16 August as legislative dates in your calendar.

Common traps

Chamber size. The text gives 170 seats, but press reports of the 2024 results count 190 deputies in the current Chamber. Confirm the count before quoting seat shares, and expect 170 from the 2028 election as the article stands.
Assuming urgency skips the second chamber. Urgent bills still go through both chambers. They are discussed in consecutive sessions and, under art. 84, need two thirds of those present at second discussion.
Reading the 2024 reform as covering 2028 unified voting. Unification starts in 2032.
Relying on an exemption granted only by a ministry or agency. The Constitution requires a law or a contract approved by Congress.
Assuming a state of emergency keeps prior payment. Art. 51 allows payment after the taking in those cases.
Citing the regional law without checking it. An opinion column says Ley 345-22 on planning regions was affected by Ley 45-25; this was not confirmed in official text, so this page cites only the Constitution.

Sources

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