The Dominican Republic is a Democratic Republic. President Danilo Medina and the Partido de la Liberacion Dominicana (PLD) are currently in charge of the executive branch of government.
The Congress of the Dominican Republic is the bicameral legislature of the government and consists of two houses, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, which are chosen through direct election. Each of the 178 members of the Chamber of Deputies represents a district and usually serves a four-year term.
The Dominican Legal System is derived from laws and statutes of the Napoleonic code, which was introduced by the French in 1822-1844. As a result, the legal system is that of Civil Law and not Common Law. This means that judges hear and decide cases, not juries. National elections are held every four years to elect the President and political representatives. There are different political parties and organisations, the two most prominent being the Partido de la Liberacion Dominicana (PLD) and Partido de la Revolucion Moderna (PRM).