PLD Explores Early 2028 Presidential Candidate Selection Amidst Prior Tribunal Annulment

PLD Considers Accelerated Candidate Selection

The Partido de la Liberación Dominicana (PLD), a prominent political party in the Dominican Republic, is reportedly considering an early selection of its presidential candidate for the 2028 general elections. Johnny Pujols, the party's Secretary General, has stated that the PLD might select its candidate this year, despite the formal proclamation typically occurring in 2027.

Pujols, who assumed the role of Secretary General in October 2024, is an engineer and mathematics professor, representing a newer generation within the party. He has been actively involved in the PLD's campaigns and public administration roles. The PLD, founded in 1973 by Juan Bosch, is a center-left organization led by Danilo Medina.

Context of the 2028 Electoral Cycle

The Dominican Republic's national elections for President, Vice President, and legislative representatives are held every four years on the third Sunday of May. The party's consideration of an early selection comes as it undergoes a process of internal reorganization and territorial strengthening, with a stated goal of winning the 2028 presidential elections. Danilo Medina, the president of the PLD, has affirmed that the party's members will be on the ballot in 2028 and that the party will soon identify its presidential contender.

Prior Tribunal Intervention on Early Selection

This potential move towards an early candidate selection by the PLD follows a significant ruling by the Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE) in May 2025. The TSE annulled a previous plan by the PLD to advance its candidate selection for the 2028 elections. The party had intended to hold an internal consultation in the first quarter of 2026 to pre-select its presidential candidate, with a formal proclamation envisioned for 2027. However, the TSE accepted an appeal challenging the legality of this convocation, deeming it 'illegal and illegitimate,' thereby compelling the PLD to reconsider its strategy for the upcoming presidential elections.

Implications for PLD's Internal Dynamics

The TSE's ruling means that any 'selection' of a candidate in 2026, as suggested by Secretary General Pujols, would likely pertain to internal party discussions or an informal consensus-building process, rather than a formal, legally binding electoral mechanism. The PLD has faced electoral setbacks in the 2020 and 2024 general elections, and its current efforts are focused on revitalizing its base and strengthening its electoral machinery. Several figures within the party, including Johnny Pujols himself, are already being discussed as potential presidential candidates for 2028.