Social Christian Reformist Party
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Social Christian Reformist Party
Partido Reformista Social Cristiano |
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|---|---|
 |
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| President | Federico Antún Batlle |
| Founder | Joaquín Balaguer |
| Founded | June 21, 1963 |
| Headquarters | Santo Domingo |
| Ideology |
Christian democracy, Liberal conservatism, Economic liberalism, Right-wing populism |
| Political position | Centre-right to Right-wing |
| International affiliation |
International Democrat Union, Centrist Democrat International |
| Regional affiliation |
ODCA UPLA |
| Colours | Red, green and white |
| Chamber of Deputies |
18 / 190
|
| Senate |
1 / 32
|
| Mayors |
4 / 155
|
| Website | |
| www |
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The Social Christian Reformist Party (Spanish: Partido Reformista Social Cristiano, PRSC) is a Christian democratic right-wing political party in the Dominican Republic formed by the union of the Partido Reformista (established in 1963 by Joaquín Balaguer who was, at the time, exiled in New York City) and the Partido Revolucionario Social Cristiano. Some of the PRSC's founders and leaders were originally business leaders and Roman Catholics who opposed the communist, democratic socialist and social democratic tendencies of Juan Bosch and José Francisco Peña Gómez, of the PRD and PLD. However, as is the case with most party politics in the Dominican Republic, the party remains pragmatically populist.
Founders of the original PRSC (former Partido Revolucionario Social Cristiano) were anti-trujillistas, among others: Alfonso Moreno Martinez, Mario Read Vittini, Yuyo D'Alessandro, Caonabo Javier Castillo, all of them returning to the Dominican Rep. from political exile. Years later this political party and the Partido Reformista together became Partido Refomista Social Cristiano.
Populism in the Dominican Republic means that candidates win by impressing poor people with promises and personal charisma. Individuals vote based on the likelihood that their personal position will be improved by the vote. The state is poor but paternalistic, and so limited government resources – in the shape of employment opportunities, public works, funding, and free food – are to a certain extent passed out based on party membership. (See: Politics of the Dominican Republic.)
Another important characteristic of politics in the Dominican Republic is the predominance of strong charismatic leaders in place of ideology. Balaguer assembled a machine that helped decide elections even after he was out of power and infirm. At the legislative elections, 16 May 2002, the party won 24.3% of the popular vote and 36 out of 150 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 2 out of 31 seats in the Senate. Its candidate at the presidential election of 16 May 2004, Eduardo Estrella, won 8.6% of the vote.
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Wikipedia