People's Force

{{Infobox political party

| name = People's Force

| native_name = Fuerza del Pueblo

| logo = Logo of the People's Force.svg

| logo_size = 250px

| colorcode = {{Party color|People's Force}}

| president = Leonel Fernández

| secretary_general = Antonio Florián

| abbreviation = FP

| headquarters = Avenida Bolívar no. 101, esquina Doctor Báez, Gazcue, Distrito Nacional

| founded = {{start date|2019|10|17|df=y}}

| predecessor = Dominican Workers' Party

| split = Dominican Liberation Party

| ideology = Progressivism{{cite web|url=https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2019/10/21/587835/ptd-la-fuerza-del-pueblo-fue-un-partido-de-izquierda/amp.html|title=PTD-'La Fuerza del Pueblo' fue un partido de izquierda

|access-date=October 21, 2019|website=Listin Diario|date=21 October 2019

|language=ES}}
Social democracy

| position = Left-wing{{cite web|url=https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2019/10/21/587835/ptd-la-fuerza-del-pueblo-fue-un-partido-de-izquierda/amp.html|title=PTD-'La Fuerza del Pueblo' fue un partido de izquierda

|access-date=October 21, 2019|website=Listin Diario|date=21 October 2019

|language=ES}}{{cite web|url=https://acento.com.do/politica/leonel-fernandez-y-su-partido-son-izquierdistas-afirma-mendez-9020126.html|title=Leonel Fernández y su partido son izquierdistas, afirma Méndez|access-date=June 22, 2022|website=Acento|language=ES|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215161846/https://acento.com.do/politica/leonel-fernandez-y-su-partido-son-izquierdistas-afirma-mendez-9020126.html|archive-date=2022-12-15}}{{cite web|url=https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/dominican-republic-presidents-likely-reelection-bodes-well-economy-challenges-remain|title=In the Dominican Republic, the President's Likely Reelection Bodes Well for the Economy, But Challenges Remain|access-date=May 16, 2024|website=Stratfor}}

| international = Foro de São Paulo

| membership_year = 2023

| membership = 1,920,000{{cite web | url=https://n.com.do/2023/08/21/realidad-o-exageracion-padrones-del-prm-pld-fp-y-prd-superan-en-total-los-7-millones-de-militantes/ | title=¿Realidad o exageración? Padrones del PRM, PLD, FP y PRD superan en total los 7 millones de militantes | date=21 August 2023 }}

| seats1_title = Chamber of Deputies

| seats1 = {{Composition bar|27|190|{{Party color|People's Force}}}}

| seats2_title = Senate

| seats2 = {{Composition bar|3|32|{{Party color|People's Force}}}}

| colors = {{Color box|{{Party color|People's Force}}|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|#FFFFFF|border=darkgray}} Green and white

| website = {{url|http://fuerzadelpueblo.do/}}

| country = the Dominican Republic

}}

The People's Force ({{langx|es|Fuerza del Pueblo}}, FP) is a political party in the Dominican Republic led by former President Leonel Fernández.

After fierce results and amid accusations of electoral fraud in the primary elections of October 2019, Leonel Fernández resigned from the presidency and militancy of the Dominican Liberation Party. Later, the already established Dominican Workers' Party welcomed him and agreed to change its name to "People's Force" and have Fernández as their presidential candidate,{{cite web|title=Conocerán el lunes solicitud cambio de nombre del PTD por La Fuerza del Pueblo|url=https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/politica/conoceran-el-lunes-solicitud-cambio-de-nombre-del-ptd-por-la-fuerza-del-pueblo-LD15708535|access-date=December 9, 2019|website=www.diariolibre.com|date=5 December 2019 |language=ES}} a change approved by the Central Electoral Board on December 17 of that year.

History

=== Emergence ===

Leonel Fernández presented his pre-candidacy for the presidency of the Dominican Republic in early 2018 with the intention of competing within his party in the simultaneous primary elections of October 2019. During this process he made strong attacks on his party partner and former president of the Dominican Republic Danilo Medina urging him to desist from seeking a third consecutive term by re-election and to avoid attempting to modify the constitution, a situation that came to be glimpsed in the national congress but did not materialize given the political and social pressure that existed in that moment.{{cite web|url=https://www.diariolibre.com/se-encienden-rumores-de-reforma-constitucional-antes-de-primarias-de-octubre-DL13903176|title=Se encienden rumores de reforma constitucional antes de primarias de octubre|access-date=December 9, 2019|website=www.diariolibre.com|date=27 August 2019 |language=ES}} The peak of this process would be reached when Leonel Fernández held a massive protest in front of the national congress, formalizing an important division within the Dominican Liberation Party.{{cite web|url=https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/politica/grupos-populares-se-suman-a-la-protesta-frente-al-congreso-nacional-FA13201352|title=Grupos populares se suman a la protesta frente al Congreso Nacional|access-date=December 9, 2019|website=www.diariolibre.com|date=26 June 2019 |language=ES}}{{cite web|url=https://hoy.com.do/galeria/lucha-interna-del-pld-llega-al-congreso-por-posible-modificacion-de-la-constitucion/|title=Lucha interna del PLD llega al Congreso por posible modificación de la Constitución|access-date=December 9, 2019|website=Hoy Digital|language=ES}}{{cite web|url=https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2019/07/16/574319/leonel-llama-a-protesta-pacifica-frente-al-congreso|title=Leonel llama a protesta pacífica frente al Congreso|access-date=December 9, 2019|last=Diario|first=Listin|date=July 16, 2019|website=listindiario.com|language=ES}}

After President Danilo Medina gave up on choosing a third term and modifying the constitution,{{cite web|url=https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/politica/danilo-anuncia-que-no-ira-por-la-reeleccion-GB13476572|title=Danilo anuncia que no irá por la reelección|access-date=December 9, 2019|website=www.diariolibre.com|date=22 July 2019 |language=ES}} he presented himself to the Minister of Public Works and a close collaborator of Danilo Medina as a pre-candidate for the presidency with the backing of the current president, this generated internal friction. Finally, Fernández was defeated with a narrow margin before Gonzalo Castillo, to which he called the electoral contest "fraud" followed by several protests, televised addresses and challenges to the Central Electoral Board without finally presenting evidence or formal complaint of the various theories and accusations he made.{{cite web|url=https://www.telemundo47.com/noticias/destacados/Leonel-da-detalles-de-fraude-y-lo-tilda-de-crimen-bochornoso-563063451.html|title=Leonel Fernández detalla fraude y lo tilda de "crimen bochornoso" - Telemundo 47|access-date=December 9, 2019|last=EFE|first=Por|website=www.telemundo47.com|date=14 October 2019 |language=ES}}{{cite web|url=https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2019/10/14/586762/leonel-fraude-se-produjo-desde-punta-cana-la-lincoln-y-una-villa-en-casa-de-campo|title=Leonel: fraude se produjo desde Punta Cana, la Lincoln y una villa en Casa de Campo|access-date=December 9, 2019|last=Diario|first=Listin|date=October 14, 2019|website=listindiario.com|language=ES}}{{cite web|url=https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2019/11/26/593164/leonel-dice-gonzalo-es-un-candidato-ilegitimo-por-fraude-en-las-primarias|title=Leonel dice Gonzalo es un candidato ilegítimo por fraude en las primarias|access-date=December 9, 2019|last=Diario|first=Listin|date=November 26, 2019|website=listindiario.com|language=ES}}

Ultimately, this would lead Fernández to resign from the presidency of the Dominican Liberation Party and its militancy, where he had been for more than 46 years.{{cite web|url=https://hoy.com.do/leonel-fernandez-presenta-su-formal-renuncia-del-pld/|title=Leonel Fernández presenta su formal renuncia del PLD|access-date=December 9, 2019|date=October 20, 2019|website=Hoy Digital|language=ES}} Along with him, hundreds of militants and dozens of public officials, including deputies and senators, resigned, although he finally made a call to all the officials of his current who held elective positions and who had obtained a candidacy in the elections of October 2019 that they maintained their positions and did not resign from the party, so that they made opposition from within the same organization.{{cite web|url=https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/renuncian-27-diputados-del-pld-y-pasan-a-apoyar-a-leonel-fernandez-LE14985493|title=Renuncian 27 diputados del PLD y pasan a apoyar a Leonel Fernández|access-date=December 9, 2019|website=www.diariolibre.com|date=28 October 2019 |language=ES}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/politica/leonel-autoriza-a-seguidores-que-ganaron-primarias-a-seguir-en-el-pld-ante-posible-salida-EH14757517|title=Leonel autoriza a seguidores que ganaron primarias a seguir en el PLD ante posible salida|access-date=December 9, 2019|website=www.diariolibre.com|date=15 October 2019 |language=ES}}{{cite web|url=https://elnuevodiario.com.do/leonel-insta-a-seguidores-que-ganaron-en-las-primarias-a-permanecer-en-el-pld/|title=Leonel insta a seguidores que ganaron en las primarias a permanecer en el PLD|access-date=December 9, 2019|date=October 16, 2019|website=El Nuevo Diario (República Dominicana)|language=ES}}

= Merger and name change =

Originally the political movement was called "The People's Force" as the slogan Leonel Fernández used to catalog his followers during the pre-electoral contest. Later, after the acquisition of the minority "Dominican Workers Party", this political organization submitted a request to the Central Electoral Board to change the name to "People's Force" using green colors and symbols alluding to vegetation or flowers. During a public hearing, the entity learned about these changes, receiving various rejections from political parties and individuals, both for the name and for the colors and symbols.{{cite web|url=https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/politica/cambio-de-nombre-al-partido-trabajadores-dominicanos-a-fuerza-del-pueblo-encuentra-oposicion-AE15773012|title=Cambio de nombre al Partido Trabajadores Dominicanos a Fuerza del Pueblo encuentra oposición|access-date=December 10, 2019|website=www.diariolibre.com|date=9 December 2019 |language=ES}}{{cite web|url=https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2019/12/09/595048/este-es-el-nuevo-logo-del-ptd-convertido-en-fuerza-del-pueblo|title=Este es el nuevo logo del PTD, convertido en Fuerza del Pueblo|access-date=December 10, 2019|last=Diario|first=Listin|date=December 9, 2019|website=listindiario.com|language=ES}}

On December 17, the JCE approved the name change of the Dominican Workers' Party to People's Force.

= Exodus from the Dominican Liberation Party to People's Force =

The People's Force has been strengthened mainly by the militants of the Dominican Liberation Party who continue to transfer to the new organisation, creating a scenario in which the two parties are vying for the title of second majority in the Senate.{{cite web|url=https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2020/11/15/644190/senador-franklin-pena-y-otros-dirigentes-del-pld-se-juramentan-en-fuerza-del-pueblo|title=Senador Franklin Peña y otros dirigentes del PLD se juramentan en Fuerza del Pueblo|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=listindiario.com|date=15 November 2020 |language=ES}}

Election results

= Presidential elections =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! rowspan="2" \|Election ! rowspan="2" \|Candidate ! colspan="2" \|First Round ! colspan="2" \|Second Round ! rowspan="2" \|Result
Votes !% !Votes !%
2020 \|rowspan=2 \|Leonel Fernández \|365,226 \|8.90% \|{{N/A}} \|{{N/A}} \|Lost {{N}}
2024 \|1,259,427 \|28,85% \|{{N/A}} \|{{N/A}} \|Lost {{N}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" |Election

! rowspan="2" |Candidate

! colspan="2" |First Round

! colspan="2" |Second Round

! rowspan="2" |Result

Votes

!Votes

2020

|rowspan=2 |Leonel Fernández

|365,226

|8.90%