2026 Haitian general election

Last updated

2026 Haitian general election
Flag of Haiti.svg
30 August 2026 (first round)
6 December 2026 (second round)
Presidential election
  Nov 2016

Incumbent President

Transitional Presidential Council



Parliamentary election
  2015–16

All 119 seats in the Chamber of Deputies
All 30 seats in the Senate
Prime Minister before
Alix Didier Fils-Aimé (acting)

General elections are due to be held in Haiti in two rounds on 30 August and 6 December 2026. The presidency, all seats in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, and local and municipal offices will be contested.

Contents

The elections have been repeatedly delayed starting from 2019, through the presidency of Jovenel Moïse, the acting premiership of Ariel Henry, and the leadership of the Transitional Presidential Council. The TPC originally scheduled elections for November 2025 but was delayed to 30 August and 6 December 2026 due to the ongoing gang war and lack of funding.

Background

Presidency of Jovenel Moïse

The most recent Haitian elections were held in 2015 and 2016, which were marred with allegations of widespread fraud. Jovenel Moïse was inaugurated as president on 7 February 2017 after an electoral tribunal had found evidence of "some irregularities" but not enough to change the outcome of the November 2016 election. [1] [2] The next parliamentary election had been scheduled for 27 October 2019, [3] but was delayed, and Moïse ruled by presidential decree after dismissing many lawmakers in 2020. [4] In 2021, mass street demonstrations and violent protest marches began across Haiti on 14 January in protest at his plan to stay one more year in power. Moïse was assassinated by gunmen at his home in Port-au-Prince on 7 July 2021. [5] [6] [7]

Acting premiership of Ariel Henry

On 8 July, acting Prime Minister Claude Joseph's office announced that despite the assassination, the parliamentary elections would still be held on the date set by the Provisional Electoral Council and that members of the opposition would be included in election timetable talks. [8] Ariel Henry was appointed as acting prime minister later that month, though he was never confirmed by the parliament. [9] Elections were due to be held on 26 September 2021, [10] before being delayed to 7 November 2021. [11]

In 2022, Henry stated that the government would begin the organization of elections by the end of 2022, [12] but was delayed to 2023. [13] There were no elected officials left in the country after January 2023, leaving all power to acting Prime Minister Henry. [14] [15] In March 2024, Henry agreed to resign once the Transitional Presidential Council was formed. [16]

Transitional Presidential Council

In April 2024, the Transitional Presidential Council was formed, with a mandate until 7 February 2026. [17] In January 2025, Leslie Voltaire, the chairman of the Transitional Presidential Council, said that two-round general elections will be held on 15 November 2025 and in early January 2026. [18] [2] However, in October 2025, the head of the Provisional Electoral Council, Jacques Desrosiers, announced that holding an election before February 2026 is "impossible" due to the ongoing gang violence and a lack of funding.

On 14 November, the Provisional Electoral Council submitted a new election calendar and a list of steps to be implemented over the following months before elections can be held. The election campaign will begin in March 2026, with electoral lists to be published on 31 July 2026, the first round of voting to be held on 30 August 2026, the second round on 6 December 2026, and the inauguration of a new president on 7 February 2027. [19] [20] The proposal was approved by the Transitional Presidential Council on 1 December 2025. [21]

Electoral system

The President of Haiti is elected using the two-round system, with a second round held if no candidate wins a majority of the vote in the first round.

The 119 members of the Chamber of Deputies are elected in single-member constituencies for four-year terms using a modified two-round system; a candidate must receive either over 50% of the vote, or have a lead over the second-placed candidate equivalent to 25% of the valid votes in order to be elected in the first round; if no candidate meets this requirement, a second round is held, in which the candidate with the most votes wins. [22]

One third of the 30-member Senate is elected every two years. The members are elected from ten single-member constituencies based on the departments, also using the two-round system. [23] For the upcoming election, in each department the candidate with the largest number of votes will serve a six-year term, the second place finisher will serve four years, and the third place for two years. [24]

Political parties

Party or allianceLeading candidateIdeologyLast election
ChamberSenate
Haitian Tèt Kale Party (PHTK) Line Balthazar haiti.png Liné Balthazar Liberalism
Conservative liberalism
316
Struggling People's Organization (OPL) 4th of July celebration 2024 - 53843604668 (cropped).jpg Edgard Leblanc Fils Social democracy 91
Fanmi Lavalas (FL) Maryse Narcisse Aug 2016.jpg Maryse Narcisse Social democracy
Populism
61
Haiti in Action (AAA) Youri Latortue 20171108.jpg Youri Latortue Nationalism
Federalism
61
IniteLAPEH Secretary Rubio Meets with Haitian Transitional Presidential Council President (54412737238)(cropped).jpg Fritz Jean Liberal conservatism
Progressivism
41
Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats (PFSDH) Edmonde supplice beauzile 2020.png Edmonde S. Beauzile Social democracy
Third Way
40
Renmen Ayiti (RA) Jean-Henry Ceant (cropped).jpg Jean-Henry Céant Centrism
Social democracy
31
Platfòm Pitit Desalin (PPD) Jean-Charles Moise Sep 2016.jpg Jean-Charles Moïse Dessalinism
Democratic socialism
Left-wing populism
21
Rally of Progressive National Democrats (RDNP) Michel Andre (cropped).jpg André Michel Christian democracy
Conservatism
00
Christian National Union for the Reconstruction of Haiti (UNCRH) Charlito Baker.png Charles-Henri Baker Christian democracy
Protectionism
Right-wing populism
00
En Avant Jerry Tardieu.jpg Jerry Tardieu Anti-corruption DNCDNC
Revolutionary Force of National Accord (FREN) Senator Guy Philippe.png Guy Philippe DNCDNC
Les Engagés pour le Développement (EDE) Claude Joseph, chancelier haitien en 2020 (cropped 4x3).jpg Claude Joseph Centrism
Syncretism
DNCDNC
Jenès Konsyan Angaje Pou Chanjman (JK) Centrism
Social democracy
DNCDNC

Notes

    References

    1. Domonoske, Camila (4 January 2017). "Haiti Finally Has A President-Elect, 14 Months After Elections Began". NPR . Retrieved 6 November 2025.
    2. 1 2 "Haiti leader says long-awaited general elections penned for November". Reuters.
    3. Haiti's Political and Economic Conditions Congressional Research Service
    4. "A year after the president's assassination, Haitians endure a broken nation or flee". NPR. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
    5. Angelo, Paul J.; Gevarter, David (14 July 2021). "The Assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise: What to Know". Council on Foreign Relations . Retrieved 6 November 2025.
    6. "'Down with the dictatorship': Protests continue in Haiti". Al Jazeera . 15 February 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
    7. Descardes, Arnoux (20 June 2024). "How to Break the Cycle of Weak Elections in Haiti". United States Institute of Peace . Retrieved 10 November 2025.
    8. Bojarski, Sam (8 July 2021). "Interim PM: Haiti will move forward with fall elections". Haiti Times. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
    9. Coto, Dánica; Sanon, Evens (12 March 2024). "Haiti's prime minister steps down as violent gangs rampage, leaving successor uncertain". PBS . Retrieved 6 November 2025.
    10. "Haiti announces elections and controversial constitutional referendum for September". Pledge Times. 29 June 2021. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
    11. "Haiti postpones election date to replace slain president". France 24. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
    12. "Prime Minister Henry gives commitment that Haiti will be in election mode before year end". Caribbean National Weekly. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
    13. "The PM signed a "historic" consensus for an inclusive transition". Haiti Libre. 22 December 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
    14. Taylor, Luke (10 January 2023). "Haiti left with no elected government officials as it spirals towards anarchy". The Guardian . Retrieved 6 November 2025.
    15. Felbab-Brown, Vanda (3 February 2023). "Haiti in 2023: Political abyss and vicious gangs". Brookings Institution . Retrieved 5 November 2025.
    16. Coto, Dánica; Sanon, Evens (12 March 2024). "Haiti's prime minister says he'll resign as violent gangs rampage. It's not clear who leads next". AP News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024. Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced early Tuesday that he would resign once a transitional presidential council is created...
    17. "Haiti finalises deal to form transitional council in bid to end gang chaos". France 24. 9 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
    18. Frilet, Corinne; Hauteville, Jean-Michel (31 January 2025). "Haiti's transitional president Leslie Voltaire announces November 2025 elections". Le Monde . Retrieved 5 November 2025.
    19. Blaise, Juhakenson (17 November 2025). "Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council sets elections for August 2026". The Haitian Times. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
    20. "Haiti - FLASH : Official Calendar of Upcoming Elections". Haiti Libre. 16 November 2025. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
    21. "Haiti's transitional government adopts key law to hold a general election for first time since 2016". AP News . 3 December 2025.
    22. Chambre des Députés (Chamber of Deputies): Electoral system IPU
    23. Sénat (Senate): Electoral system IPU
    24. "Haiti - FLASH : Electoral Decree Revealed, Diaspora and Women Voting Mandatory". www.haitilibre.com. 1 November 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2025.