Political parties in the Dominican Republic are already campaigning for the country's next elections, defying objections from the Junta Central Electoral (JCE), the national body that oversees the vote. Some parties are moving quickly, others more cautiously, but none are waiting for an official starting signal, according to the column.
The Partido Revolucionario Moderno (PRM), which currently holds the presidency, has the biggest head start. The governing party controls extensive political resources, has renewed its leadership, and already has several aspirants campaigning under the radar for its presidential nomination. That advantage brings its own problem, the column argues: too many contenders chasing a single candidacy.
PLD works to rebuild
The Partido de la Liberación Dominicana (PLD) faces a similar squeeze without the benefit of controlling the presidency. Its presidential hopefuls must compete against one another, rebuild a party that has been weakened, and persuade voters that its record deserves another chance, all at the same time.
A family contest in Fuerza del Pueblo
Fuerza del Pueblo appears to have the clearest path of the three, the column says. Leonel Fernández and Omar Fernández are named as the only two contenders with a real chance at its nomination, a contest that plays out within the same family, since Omar is Leonel's son.
That family link means the party will not need rigged polls, jostling between rivals, or conventions marred by missing ballot boxes. A conversation between father and son, the column suggests, will be enough to settle who leads the ticket and who waits.
Paternal authority will probably prevail, according to the column. Leonel Fernández, a former president of the Dominican Republic who served three terms in office, retains control of the party along with experience and undiminished ambition. Omar Fernández brings youth, public acceptance and time on his side.
Even within Fuerza del Pueblo pressure can still build, the column notes, but within a family there is always someone who knows how to ease it.
