The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

Since the establishment of constitutional government in 1966, the Dominican Republic has experienced a troubled electoral history, including the manipulation of results and disenfranchisement of tens of thousands of opposition voters during the 1994 presidential elections. The subsequent political crisis was eventually resolved by the “Pact for Democracy,” an agreement that called for electoral reform and new elections in 1996. This ensured an electoral environment in which presidential or congressional elections are held every two years.

Since the 1996 elections, the three major political parties including the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) and the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) have peacefully accepted subsequent election results. This active electoral environment has witnessed the passage of presidential re-election reform legislation, the re-election of Leonel Fernandez of the PLD, internal fracture within the PRD which led to the creation of the Revolutionary Social Democratic Party (Partido Revolucionario Social Democrata, PRSD) and a severe decline in support for the PRSC.

Also during this period, the three main political parties have experienced significant internal conflict due to the loss of party caudillos (strong men) Joaquin Balaguer (PRSC), Jose Francisco Peña Gomez (PRD) and Juan Bosch (PLD). Most parties are using this juncture as an opportunity to modernize and institutionalize party structures.

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