What Is The Political System Of The Dominican Republic

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In preparing for my second market entry report for the Dominican Republic, I found some key important research regarding their political, legal, and economic systems.

Free elections in the Dominican Republic are held every four years on the 15th of May. In order to vote for the next president and vice president, you have to be at least 18 years of age. If you are under the age of 18 you cannot vote unless married. According to the constitution, members of armed forces and national police also cannot vote (IFES, 2016). Regarding the Legislative Branch, the national congress consists of 32 seats in the Senate and 195 seats in the House of Representative (IFES, 2016). Both members serve 4-year terms but, the Senate is voted in single-seat constituencies …show more content…

During a five-year span from 2010-15, the Dominican Republic’s economy experienced a global recession. To help dilute the global recession, “a tax reform package passed in November, a reduction in government spending, and lower energy costs helped to narrow the central government budget deficit from 6.6% of gross domestic profit (GDP) in 2012 to 2.6% in 2015” ((CIA), 2016).

The Dominican Republic legal system is a civil law system based on the French civil code or Napoleonic code. Judges hear and decide cases during the process of civil law (Republic, 2004). Even though the Dominican Republic is generally a Spanish speaking country, it is not out of the norm for them to base their legal system off of the French model. Why, because throughout the Dominican Republic’s history, France controlled them. The four courts in which the civil law system is comprised of are The Peace Courts, The Courts of First Instance, The Appeals Courts, and The Supreme Court of Justice (Republic, …show more content…

Through research, past U.S. investors have encountered situations within the Dominican government where government contracts have gone unpaid and properties and businesses “expropriated” (DoS, 2016). For example, investors have stated that they have not received payment of fair market value for their losses even after the legal authorities ordered that they will be reimbursed (DoS, 2016). Dominican officials are also not being held responsible for their lack of recognition of claims along with their delayed payments. Around October of 2002, the U.S. Dominican Trade and Investment Councils held meetings to enforce the Dominican government to establish procedures which issues bonds resolve claims against them (DoS, 2016). In 2005 they ethically made changes to resolve about 65.5 % of expropriation cases by paying back investors with either bond or by waiving the claims (DoS, 2016).

The level of corruption in the Dominican Republic is relatively high. The Dominican Republic implements laws, regulations, and criminal penalties in order to dilute corruption. The laws are poorly enforced, as security forces, governments, private sectors, and government officials frequently engage in corrupt practices (DoS,

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