Senate of the Dominican Republic

Senate of Dominican Republic
Seal of the Dominican Republic Senate
Flag of the Dominican Republic Senate
Type
Type	Upper house of the Congress of the Dominican Republic
Term limits	None
History
New session started	August 16, 2016 (2016-08-16)
Leadership
President	Reinaldo Pared Pérez, PLD Since August 16, 2016
Vice-President	Dionis Sánchez, PLD Since August 16, 2016
Majority Leader	Rubén Darío Cruz, PLD Since August 16, 2016
Minority Leader	Santiago Zorrilla, PRM Since August 16, 2016
Structure
Seats	32
Political groups	PLD and allies (29)      PLD (26)      PRD (1)      PLR (1)      BIS (1) Minority (3)      PRM (2)      PRSC (1)
Length of term	4 years
Elections
Last election	May 15, 2016
Next election	May 17, 2020
Meeting place
Senate chamber Congress Palace Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

The Senate of the Republic is the upper legislative chamber in the bicameral legislature of the Dominican Republic, and together with the Chamber of Deputies makes up the National Congress.

The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Third Tittle, Chapter 1 in the First Section of the Dominican Constitution Each provinces and the Distrito Nacional, regardless of population, is represented by one senator who serve for a four-years-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, 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, which historically led to a more collegial and less partisan atmosphere.

The constitution of the Dominican states that to be a senator must be a Dominican in full exercise of civil and political rights, have twenty-five years old, a native of the territorial demarcation that choose or have resided there for at least five years consecutive. In consequence:

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 correspond to 4 year.