Haitian Senate election, 2009

Last updated
Haitian Senate election, 2009
Flag of Haiti.svg
←  2006 19 April 2009 (first round)
21 June 2009 (second round)		 2010–11  →

Senate elections for a third of the seats in the Senate of Haiti were held on 19 April 2009 (they were scheduled for March or April 2008, but were postponed), with a run-off to be held on 21 June 2009. [1] [2] [3] Per the Constitution of Haiti, voters should renew ten of the thirty seats in the Senate, but as Pierre Emmanuel Limage (representing Fwon Lespwa, the party of President René Préval, for Artibonite), died in a car accident and Ultimo Compère (representing Fwon Lespwa for Centre; his term would have expired in 2008 regularly) and Rudolph H. Boulos (representing the Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats for Nord-Est) resigned, there will be twelve open seats instead. [4]

Constitution of Haiti Constitution of 2012

The Constitution of Haiti was modeled after the constitutions of the United States and France. The document was approved by Parliament in March 2011 and came into effect on June 20, 2012.

Fwon Lespwa was a Haitian political coalition headed by René Préval, who served as president from 1996 to 2001 and from 2006 to 2011. The name Lespwa is the Haitian Creole form of the French l'espoir, meaning "hope". The coalition's full French name is Front de l'Espoir. Lespwa includes many members and former members of the last democratically elected government of Jean Bertrand Aristide and his Fanmi Lavalas.

President of Haiti

The President of Haiti, officially called the President of the Republic of Haiti is the head of state of Haiti. Executive power in Haiti is divided between the president and the government headed by the Prime Minister of Haiti. The current president is Jovenel Moïse, who took office on February 7, 2017.

Contents

The seats for which elections will be held are divided among parties as follows:

Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats political party in Haiti

The Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats —also translated in some sources as Union of Haitian Social Democrats— is a political party in Haiti.

Struggling Peoples Organization political party in Haiti

The Struggling People's Organization, called until 1996 Lavalas Political Organization, is a Haitian political party originating from the Lavalas political movement. Formed in 1995, the more conservative Lavalas split from the party in 1996 forming their own Fanmi Lavalas party, at this time the OPL's name was changed from Organisation Politique Lavalas to its present appellation. This split meant that few of the intelligentsia that had previously supported Aristide ended up in the new Lavalas.

Pont is a political party in Haiti. Jean Marie Chérestal, Prime Minister from 2 March 2001 to 21 January 2002, was the leader of the party. The party won in the 7 February 2006 Senate elections 1.1% of the popular vote and two Senators. In the 7 February and 21 April 2006 Chamber of Deputies elections, the party won no seats.

Preparations were finished in late May 2008.[ citation needed ]

40 candidates were not allowed to contest the election, including Guy Philippe and all 17 from Aristide's Fanmi Lavalas, reportedly due to procedural mistakes and missing signatures or possibly even two lists of candidates submitted in some constituencies. 79 candidates were approved. [5] The disqualification was strongly criticised by local and international organisations alike, with some even claiming that the elections were not really democratic. Turnout was very low. [6] A majority for president Préval's Fwon Lespwa party could aid him in amending the constitution to increase the president's power and allowing a second consecutive term. [7] [8] Run-off elections were expected for many seats due to the high number of candidates.

Guy Philippe Haitian politician

Guy Philippe was a Haitian death squad leader and has attempted to become a political leader. He led the 2000-2004 paramilitary insurgency that culminated in the U.S. government's 2004 Haitian coup d'état ousting of Haiti's elected government and President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Fanmi Lavalas political party

Fanmi Lavalas, is a social-democratic political party in Haiti. Its leader is former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. It has been a powerful force in Haitian politics since 1991. Fanmi Lavalas governments advocate a policy of "growth with equity" based on Caribbean and Western European social democratic principles. Fanmi Lavalas governments have emphasised investment in education and health care as their priorities and have refused International Monetary Fund austerity measures.

Voting for Ultimo Compère's vacant seat in the Centre department had to be rescheduled after voters ransacked polling places and a poll supervisor was shot in Mirebalais. Results took a few days, as they were all be tabulated in Port-au-Prince and therefore all ballots had to arrive there before they can be counted. [9] None of the candidates in any of the departments managed to get more than half of the votes in the first round, so the two candidates in each departments were set to face each other in a run-off on 7 June 2009. [10] Turnout for the first round was around 11%. [11] The run-off was on 13 May 2009 announced to have been postponed to 21 June 2009, due to legal problems with election challenges; by that date, no date had been set for the re-run of the election in the Centre department. [3]

Mirebalais Commune in Centre, Haiti

Mirebalais is a commune in the Centre department of Haiti, approximately 60 km northeast of Port-au-Prince on National Road 3. The city was established in 1702.

Port-au-Prince Commune in Ouest, Haiti

Port-au-Prince is the capital and most populous city of Haiti. The city's population was estimated at 987,310 in 2015 with the metropolitan area estimated at a population of 2,618,894. The metropolitan area is defined by the IHSI as including the communes of Port-au-Prince, Delmas, Cite Soleil, Tabarre, Carrefour, and Pétion-Ville.

According to final results including annulment of illegal votes, the following parties had candidates in the run-off: [12]

In the second round, LESPWA won five seats, and five parties won one seat each (OPL, AAA, FUSION, KONBA, UCADDE), as well as an independent.

e  •  d  Summary of the 19 April and 21 June 2009 Haitian Senate election results
Parties1st round2nd round
Votes%Candidates
in the run-off		Votes%Seats
Fwon Lespwa (LESPWA)131,64729.68%8 (of 10)178,48243.22%5
Struggling People's Organization (OPL)90,54920.41%5 (of 8)85,83420.79%1
Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats (FUSION)34,1917.71%3 (of 7)41,62110.08%1
L'Artibonite in Action (AAA)44,89610.12%2 (of 6)37,1889.01%1
Union of Haitian Citizens for Democracy, Development and Education (UCADDE)14,8063.34%1 (of 2)16,9434.10%1
Independents 23,2545.24%1 (of 8)16,6434.03%1
Working Together for Haiti (KONBA)18,7514.23%1 (of 4)15,9093.85%1
Christian National Union for the Reconstruction of Haiti (UNION)30,2056.81%1 (of 10)14,4993.51%0
Respect (RESPE)12,9762.93%0 (of 2) 
Democratic Movement for the Liberation of Haiti–Revolutionary Party of Haiti (MODELH–PRDH)11,0242.49%0 (of 2)
Independent Movement for National Reconciliation (MIRN)7,7941.76%0 (of 2)
Rally of Progressive National Democrats (RNDP)7,3821.66%0 (of 3)
National Unity Party (PUN)4,4811.01%0 (of 2)
Social Renewal Party (PSR)2,4610.56%0 (of 2)
Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haïti (MIDH)1,9310.44%0 (of 1)
Popular Agreement Party (PEP)9370.21%0 (of 1)
For Us All (PONT)1600.04%0 (of 1)
No candidate6,1711.39%—5,8411.41%—
Total443,616100.0022412,960100.0011
Sources: CEP, CEP

See also

Related Research Articles

Jean-Bertrand Aristide Haitian politician who became Haitis first democratically elected president

Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a former Haitian priest and politician who became Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a Roman Catholic parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies to become a priest of the Salesian order. He became a focal point for the pro-democracy movement first under Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier and then under the military transition regime which followed. He won the Haitian general election between 1990 and 1991, with 67% of the vote and was briefly president of Haiti, until a September 1991 military coup. The coup regime collapsed in 1994 under U.S. pressure and threat of force. Aristide was then president again from 1994 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2004. However, Aristide was ousted in the 2004 coup d'état after right-wing ex-army paramilitaries invaded the country from across the Dominican border. As he claimed, the United States helped orchestrate the coup against him. Aristide was later forced into exile in the Central African Republic and South Africa. He finally returned to Haiti in 2011 after seven years in exile.

René Préval President of Haiti

René Garcia Préval was a Haitian politician and agronomist who twice served as President of Haiti, from February 7, 1996, to February 7, 2001, and again from May 14, 2006, to May 14, 2011. He was also Prime Minister from February 1991 to October 11, 1991.

2006 Haitian general election

The 2006 elections in Haiti, to replace the interim government of Gérard Latortue put in place after the 2004 Haiti rebellion, were delayed four times after having been originally scheduled for October and November 2005. The elections finally took place on February 7, 2006, with turnout of around 60%. All 99 seats in the Chamber of Deputies of Haiti and all 30 seats in the Senate of Haiti were also contested. Run-off elections for the Chamber of Deputies of Haiti were held on 21 April 2006, with around 28% turnout.

2000 Haitian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections in 2000 were held in Haiti in two separate sets of elections, on May 21, 2000 and July 9, 2000, for all 83 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and nineteen seats in the Senate, and later that year, at the same time as November 26, 2000 presidential election for eight Senate seats. The legislative elections and presidential elections in the fall ran largely smoothly, however the first and second rounds of the spring elections generated the most controversy.

Chamber of Deputies (Haiti) lower house of the National Assembly of Haiti

The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of Haiti's bicameral legislature, the National Assembly. The upper house of the National Assembly is the Senate of Haiti. The Chamber has 119 members who are elected by popular vote to four-year terms. There are no term limits for Deputies; they may be re-elected indefinitely.

Haitian Parliament parliament

The Haitian Parliament is the bicameral legislature of the Republic of Haiti, consisting of the upper house as the Senate (Sénat) and the lower house as the Chamber of Deputies. Both assemblies conduct legislative sessions at the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.

Senate (Haiti) upper house of Haitis the National Assembly

The Senate is the upper house of Haiti's bicameral legislature, the National Assembly. The lower house of the National Assembly is the Chamber of Deputies. The Senate consists of thirty seats, with three members from each of the ten administrative departments. Prior to the creation of the department of Nippes in 2003, there were twenty-seven seats. Senators are elected by popular vote to six-year terms, with one-third elected every two years. There are no term limits for Senators; they may be re-elected indefinitely.

2009 Antiguan general election

General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda on 12 March 2009. The result was a victory for the United Progressive Party, which won nine of the seventeen elected seats in the House of Representatives.

2010–11 Haitian general election

General elections were held in Haiti on 28 November 2010, having originally been scheduled for 28 February. Ten senators and all 99 deputies were to be elected.

2010 Czech Senate election

Senate elections were held in the Czech Republic for a third of the Czech Senate in October 2010. The first round was held on 15 and 16 October 2010, with a second round on 22 and 23 October 2010.

1997 Haitian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Haiti on 6 April 1997 for one third of the seats in the Senate and two in the Chamber of Deputies. A total of 45 candidates from 15 parties contested the Senate elections.

2015–16 Haitian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Haiti on 9 August 2015, with a second round planned initially on 25 October. Two-thirds of the Senate and all members of the Chamber of Deputies were up for election.

Inite political party in Haiti

Inite is a centre-left, social-democratic political party in Haiti. Its founder and leader, René Préval, served as the president of Haiti from 2006 to 2011.

Brignol Lindor

Brignol Lindor, was a Haitian radio journalist and news editor, lawyer and teacher. Lindor was a prominent voice in politics, speaking mostly on behalf of the Democratic interests of the Haitian people. His brutal murder was blamed on threats from leftist politicians who supported President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

November 2016 Haitian presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Haiti on 20 November 2016, after having been postponed several times.

2016–17 Haitian Senate election elections

Senate elections were held in Haiti with a first round on 20 November 2016, and a second on 29 January 2017. The first round were held simultaneously with the presidential elections and the second round of the parliamentary elections that still had a run-off pending in some constituencies since 2015.

References

  1. ↑ http://electionguide.org/election.php?ID=1726
  2. ↑ http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/266447,no-winners-emerge-from-senate-elections-in-haiti-june-runoff-set.html
  3. 1 2 http://www.alterpresse.org/spip.php?article8343
  4. ↑ Prensa Latina
  5. ↑ http://derstandard.at/?url=/?id=1233586921839
  6. ↑ http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/04/2009419224231220542.html
  7. ↑ http://www.newsobserver.com/1573/story/1488164.html
  8. ↑ https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gwk_RJA8imQ2nmsEHQfRcrTkzcJgD97LS7HG0
  9. ↑ https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gwk_RJA8imQ2nmsEHQfRcrTkzcJgD97MHOC80
  10. ↑ http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/266447,no-winners-emerge-from-senate-elections-in-haiti-june-runoff-set.html
  11. ↑ https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gwk_RJA8imQ2nmsEHQfRcrTkzcJgD97RLGUO2
  12. ↑ http://www.cep-ht.org/Documents/Results_Sen2009_1/resultats_definitifs_senatoriales_2009_mai.pdf

Additional Background

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.