October 2, 2026
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader headed to a second term following Sunday's general elections, declaring victory after his top competitors conceded early in the night as he held a strong leader in early vote tallies.
Abinader is one of the most popular leaders in the Americas, and the early results showed him with nearly 60% of the votes. His competitors, former President Leonel Fernández and Mayor Abel Martínez, conceded early in the night.
Abinader supporters in his campaign headquarters started celebrating early on, blowing horns and cheering. In his victory speech, Abinader delivered a message promising change and anti-corruption measures.
“The message from the results is clear, the changes that we've made are going to be irreversible,” he said. “In the Dominican Republic, the best is yet to come.”
While opposition parties reported a number of small irregularities, voting largely ran smoothly. Many of the 8 million eligible voters are still traumatized by an electoral authority decision to suspend the 2020 municipal elections due to a technical glitch, prompting what appears to be high voter turnout.
The president's Modern Revolutionary Movement was expected to win a majority in the Dominican Republic's congress, which would allow him to push through changes to the constitution. It also would allow him to further his anti-corruption and economic agendas, which have earned him the approval of many in the Caribbean nation.
Share with others
