Senate of the Dominican Republic

Senate of the Dominican Republic Senado de la República Dominicana
Coat of arms of the Dominican Republic
Type
Type	Upper house of the Congress of the Dominican Republic
Term limits	None
History
Founded	1844 and 1908[1]
New session started	August 16, 2023 (2023-08-16)
Leadership
President	Ricardo de los Santos Polanco, PRM since August 16, 2023
Vice-President	Santiago Zorrilla, PRM since August 16, 2020
Majority Leader	Cristóbal Venerado Castillo, PRM since August 16, 2024
Minority Leader	Omar Fernández, FP since August 16, 2024
Structure
Seats	32
Political groups	PRM and allies (29) 24 PRM 1 PRSC 1 PPG 1 PRI 1 PLR 1 APD Opposition (3) 3 FP
Length of term	4 years
Elections
Voting system	First past the post mixed of a plurality and a transferable vote from the given to any same party deputies candidates in the Province.[clarification needed]
Last election	19 May 2024
Next election	2028
Meeting place
Hemicycle of the Senate
Congress Palace, Santo Domingo
Website
http://www.senado.gob.do/senado/

Politics of the Dominican Republic
Constitution Constitutional Court Law
Legislature Congress of the Dominican Republic Chamber of Deputies President of the Chamber Alfredo Pacheco Senate President of the Senate Ricardo de los Santos Polanco
Executive President of the Dominican Republic (list) Luis Abinader (PRM) Vice President of the Dominican Republic Raquel Peña (PRM) Cabinet
Judiciary Supreme Court of the Dominican Republic National Council of the Magistracy Council of the Judiciary Branch National Judicial College
Recent elections Presidential: 2008 2012 Parliamentary: 2006 2010 General: 2020 2024
Administrative divisions Provinces Governors Municipalities Geographic Regions
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Roberto Álvarez Diplomatic missions of / in the Dominican Republic Passports Visa requirements Visa policy
Dominican Republic portal Other countries
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The Senate of the Dominican Republic (Spanish: Senado de la República Dominicana) is the upper house in the bicameral legislature of the Dominican Republic, and together with the Chamber of Deputies makes up the Congress.

The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Third Title, Chapter 1 in the First Section of the Dominican Constitution. Each province, and the Distrito Nacional, regardless of population, is represented by one senator who serves for a four-year 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 of Deputies, 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, the Senate has historically had a more collegial and less partisan atmosphere.