<-President Fernandez

The Dominican Republic Currently enjoys a new constitution, which was ratified in 1994 and changed again during the tenure of the last President (2000 - 2004) and a stable democratic process that has been in place for that last thirty years. The democratically represented government is divided principally into three branches. Executive, which is represented by the President and his cabinet. Legislative, which is represented by a two house system of senators and deputies. Judicial, represented by a national judicial council designed to separate politics from judicial appointment process. The President of the country is democratically elected and holds one term for four years. The constitution ratified in 1994 prohits re-election for consectutive periods, where as the latest changes made during the last adminsitration basically nullifies this previous restriction. The President of the country appoints a cabinet of ministers to handle certain affairs or direct certain government policies. The President is also the offical head of state and is commander in chief of the armed forces. The President is elected via an election which is distinct and separate from elections for represntatives of the legislature.