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Registered | 5,871,450 | ||||||||||||||||
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Turnout | 28.49% | ||||||||||||||||
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Presidential elections were held in Haiti on 25 October 2015, alongside local elections and the second round of the legislative elections. [1] Incumbent President Michel Martelly was constitutionally barred from running. As no candidate received a majority of the vote in the first round, a runoff was to be held on 27 December 2015. [2] On 22 December the Conseil Electoral Provisoire (CEP) announced that the runoff has been postponed indefinitely. [3] However, on 1 January 2016 President Michel Martelly announced that the runoff would be held on 17 January, [4] but on 7 January the President changed the date to 24 January. On 20 January, Jude Célestin issued a statement that calls "whatever the person who will participate in this January 24 [runoff], is a traitor to the Nation". [5] Because of rioting and electoral violence, on 22 January the CEP decided to postpone the second round again, with no specific date given, [6] even after President Michel Martelly confirmed the previous day in a nationwide speech that the election should still take place. [7] The run-off date was later agreed to take place on 24 April 2016. [8]
After the preliminary results were published on 25 October 2015, Jude Célestin said he did not recognize them. His criticism was joined by five other presidential candidates. They issued a joint statement denouncing the results as "anti-democratic" and called for the people's vote to be respected. Martelly openly declared his support for Moïse. [9] The supporters of Célestin protested in the streets, together with the supporters of Jean-Charles Moïse's Platfom Pitit Desalin and supporters of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's Fanmi Lavalas party the presidential candidate of which, Maryse Narcisse, finished fourth behind Jean-Charles Moïse and also denounced the results during a news conference. The protesters threw rocks and burned tires. The police responded with tear gas and made some arrests. The police also stopped and searched the vehicle of a former top government prosecutor, Claudy Gassant, who is a supporter of Moïse. [10]
Amid allegations of fraud in the 2015 elections, Martelly resigned the presidency on 10 February 2016, leaving Haiti without a president for a week. The National Assembly elected on 17 February 2016 Jocelerme Privert as provisional President. [11] [12] Privert formed a month-long verification commission to restore legitimacy to the electoral process. In May 2016, the commission audited about 13,000 ballots and determined that the elections had been dishonest and recommended a complete rerun of the election. [13] [14]
On 5 April 2016, the CEP announced that a rerun of the presidential election is to take place on 9 October 2016, alongside the second round of the parliamentary elections that has been suspended and the first round for a third of the Senate. [15]
Seventy candidates were initially in the race, including 64 men and six women. [16] Two candidates, Mario Andresol and Diony Monestime, ran as independents. [16] As of 28 May 2015, 41 challenges had been filed against 23 of the 70 candidates, including Andresol and former Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe. [17] The Departmental Bureau of Electoral Disputes heard those disputes, to determine whether those individuals would be excluded from the presidential race. [18]
The final list of 58 candidates was published on 12 June, [19] but in the following days two candidates were removed; Jacky Lumarque (Verité) and Level Francois (Parti de la Diaspora Haitienne pour Haiti), making a new total of 56 candidates. [20]
According to preliminary results posted by the Provisional Electoral Council, Jovenel Moïse obtained 32.81% of the preferences, and Jude Célestin won 25.27%. [21] Voter turnout was reportedly 28.8%.
After the preliminary results were published on 25 October 2015, six candidates disputed the election and denouncing the results as “anti-democratic”. A runoff was initially scheduled for 27 December 2015, [22] but on 22 December the Conseil Electoral Provisoire announced that the runoff was being postponed indefinitely. [3] On 5 April 2016, the CEP announced that a rerun of the presidential election was to take place on 9 October 2016.
Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jovenel Moïse | Haitian Tèt Kale Party | 508,761 | 32.76 | |
Jude Célestin | Alternative League for Haitian Progress and Emancipation | 392,782 | 25.29 | |
Jean-Charles Moïse | Platfòm Pitit Desalin | 222,109 | 14.30 | |
Maryse Narcisse | Fanmi Lavalas | 108,844 | 7.01 | |
Eric Jean Baptiste | Socialist Action Movement | 56,427 | 3.63 | |
Jean-Henry Céant | Renmen Ayiti | 38,898 | 2.50 | |
Sauveur Pierre Étienne | Struggling People's Organization | 30,144 | 1.94 | |
Irvenson Steven Benoit | Konviksyon | 17,796 | 1.15 | |
Steeve Khawly | Réseau Bouclier National | 16,752 | 1.08 | |
Samuel Madistin | Mouvement Patriotique Populaire Dessalinien | 13,640 | 0.88 | |
Jean-Chavannes Jeune | Canaan | 10,477 | 0.67 | |
Maxo Joseph | Rassemblement des Nationaux Democrates Volontaires pour l'Unité Salvatrice | 8,914 | 0.57 | |
Jean Clarens Renois | Union Nationale pour l'Integrité et la Reconciliation | 8,819 | 0.57 | |
Chavannes Jean Baptiste | Konbit Travaye Peyizan pou Libere Haiti | 7,412 | 0.48 | |
Mario Andresol | Independent | 7,239 | 0.47 | |
Beauzile Edmone Supplice | Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats | 5,876 | 0.38 | |
Amos André | Front Uni Pour la Renaissance d'Haiti | 4,888 | 0.31 | |
Aviol Fleurant | Nouvelle Haiti | 4,886 | 0.31 | |
Jean Bony Alexandre | Concorde Nationale | 4,493 | 0.29 | |
Daniel Dupiton | Cohésion Nationale des Partis Politiques Haitiens | 3,739 | 0.24 | |
Renold Jean Claude Bazin | Christian Movement for a New Haiti | 3,570 | 0.23 | |
Michel Fred Brutus | Parti Federaliste | 3,177 | 0.20 | |
Joseph G. Varnel Durandisse | Retabli Ayiti | 2,809 | 0.18 | |
Charles Henri Baker | Respect | 2,780 | 0.18 | |
Marie Antoinette Gautier | Plan d'Action Citoyenne | 2,769 | 0.18 | |
Yves Daniel | Pati Kreyol Nouye | 2,715 | 0.17 | |
Jephthé Lucien | Parti Socialiste Unifie Haitien | 2,544 | 0.16 | |
Simon Dieuseul Desras | Plateforme Politique Palmis | 2,459 | 0.16 | |
Westner Polycarpe | Mouvman Revolisyone Ayisyen | 2,316 | 0.15 | |
Jean Hervé Charles | Parti pour l'Evolution Nationale Haitienne | 2,148 | 0.14 | |
Jean Paleme Mathurin | Plateforme Politique G18 | 2,142 | 0.14 | |
Jacques Sampeur | Konbit Liberasyon Ekonomik | 2,111 | 0.14 | |
Mathias Pierre | Konsyans Patriyotik | 1,939 | 0.12 | |
Joseph Harry Bretous | Konbit pou Ayiti | 1,902 | 0.12 | |
Dalvius Gerard | Parti Alternative pour le Développement d'Haiti | 1,717 | 0.11 | |
Michelet Nestor | Coalition pour la Convention de la Reconstruction de la Réconciliation des Citoyens Haitiens | 1,711 | 0.11 | |
Fresnel Larosliere | Mouvement pour l'Instauration de la Démocratie en Haiti | 1,698 | 0.11 | |
Newton Louis St Juste | Fwon Revolisyone pou Entegrasyon Mas Yo | 1,677 | 0.11 | |
Jean Wiener Theagene | Parti pour la Rénovation d'Haiti | 1,543 | 0.10 | |
Michel André | Plateforme Jistis | 1,270 | 0.08 | |
Rene Julien | Action Democratique pour Batir Haiti | 1,245 | 0.08 | |
Vilaire Cluny Duroseau | Mouveman pou Endepandans Kiltirel Sosyal Ekonomik ak Politik an Ayiti | 1,205 | 0.08 | |
Antoine Joseph | Delivrans | 1,160 | 0.07 | |
Jean Ronald Cornely | Rassemblement des Patriotes Haitiens | 1,159 | 0.07 | |
Jean Bertin | Mouvement d'Union Republicaine | 1,131 | 0.07 | |
Marc-Arthur Drouillard | National Unity Party | 929 | 0.06 | |
Roland Magloire | Parti Démocrate Institutionnaliste | 916 | 0.06 | |
Emmanuel Joseph Georges Brunet | Plateforme Politique Entrenou | 882 | 0.06 | |
Jean Poncy | Régénération Economique et Sociale dans l'Unité et la Liberté Totale d'Action pour Tous | 858 | 0.06 | |
Kesler Dalmacy | Mopanou | 808 | 0.05 | |
Diony Monestime | Independent | 758 | 0.05 | |
Nelson Flecourt | Olahh Baton Jenes La | 757 | 0.05 | |
Joe Marie Judie Roy | Regroupement Patriotique pour le Renouveau National | 678 | 0.04 | |
Luckner Desir | Mobilisation pour le Progrès d'Haiti | 591 | 0.04 | |
Against all | 22,161 | 1.43 | ||
Total | 1,553,131 | 100.00 | ||
Valid votes | 1,553,131 | 92.84 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 119,800 | 7.16 | ||
Total votes | 1,672,931 | 100.00 | ||
Registered voters/turnout | 5,871,450 | 28.49 | ||
Source: CEP, IFES |
Amid declarations of fraud and numerous delays of an elected government, the Provisional President Jocelerme Privet created a verification commission in May 2016 to audit the results of the August 2015 legislative elections and first round of the presidential elections. [23] On 30 May 2016 the commission, headed by Pierre François Benoît, issued a report recommending the election be redone citing findings of significant fraud.
While Haiti-based organizations found innumerable counts of fraud and proof of unfair elections on October 25, international observers endorsed the results before the interim government's report had been released. [24] According to the U.S. Deputy Spokesman, for example, "The United States regrets the decision by the Provisional Electoral Council to restart the presidential elections from the first round. This will increase time and resources needed to complete the 2015 electoral process and further delay installation of a constitutionally elected president.... The United States regrets that the electoral process has extended yet again, with the president-elect unlikely to be installed before February 7th, 2017." [25] The National Human Rights Defense Network published one of several reports criticizing the happenings on election day, using Haitian observations to bolster claims apparently unseen by many international players. [26] [27]
American officials discouraged rerunning the elections after spending $33 million on funding them. [28] In an April 2016 visit to Haiti, Special Coordinator Kenneth H. Merten said that he hoped the verification process would be "very, very fast" and that it would not change the election results. [29] Secretary of State John Kerry also emphasized the need to accept an elected government, citing the lack of international community patience with further delay. [30] The U.S. Government responded to this report by announcing its refusal to provide funding to complete the Haitian elections. [31] This development may prohibit international observers, often funded by the U.S., from observing the next electoral sessions. While the OAS received $1 million in U.S. funding for the October 25 election,[ citation needed ] the organization plans to continue observation, following a list of demanded changes to the Haitian electoral process. [32]
The politics of Haiti takes place in the framework of a unitary semi-presidential republic, where the president is the head of state and the prime minister is the head of government. The politics of Haiti are considered historically unstable due to various coups d'état, regime changes, military juntas and internal conflicts. After Jean-Bertrand Aristide was deposed, Haitian politics became relatively stable. The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Haiti an "authoritarian regime" in 2022. According to the V-Dem Democracy indices Haiti is 2023 the 4th least electoral democratic country in Latin America.
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 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.
The Constitution of Haiti provides for the election of the President, Parliament, and members of local governing bodies. The 2015–16 Haitian parliamentary election was held. The February 2016 Haitian presidential election was held following annulment of the February 2016 Haitian presidential election.
Jocelerme Privert is a Haitian accountant and bureaucrat who served as the interim President of Haiti from 2016 to 2017.
Michel Joseph Martelly is a Haitian musician and politician who was the President of Haiti from May 2011 until February 2016.
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.
The Provisional Electoral Council was the electoral commission of Haiti. The body had the sole agency responsible for presidential elections and parliamentary elections. CEP used to be Haiti's main and only legal election agency.
Jude Célestin is a Haitian politician who was one of two presidential candidates heading off to the second round in the 2015 presidential election race. After an education in Port-au-Prince, Célestin studied mechanical engineering in Switzerland. Before he was nominated as the presidential candidate for President René Préval's Unity (INITE) party, he was the executive director of the government's construction ministry, the National Center of Equipment.
Parliamentary elections were held in Haiti on 9 August 2015, with a second round initially planned for 25 October. Two-thirds of the Senate and all members of the Chamber of Deputies were up for election. International observers reported that early rounds of voting have experienced significant fraud, including people voting more than once due to failure of indelible ink, vote buying due to lack of secrecy, poor training of election workers, poor tracking of political parties, and other problems. This has resulted in the nullification of some results and rescheduling of re-runs. The second round of the parliamentary elections that had been scheduled for October 2015 was postponed to October 2016, along with the first round for a third of the Senate and the first round of a new presidential election.
Patriotic Unity, is a political party in Haiti founded on 28 November 2009. Its dissolution had been claimed by former leading members on 30 April 2019 but was then disputed by the current leadership. Its founder and leader was René Préval, who served as President of Haiti from 2006 to 2011.
The Haitian Tèt Kale Party is a Haitian political party. Tèt Kale means "Bald Headed" in Haitian Creole, and is a reference to former president Michel Martelly's appearance.
Jovenel Moïse was a Haitian entrepreneur and politician, who served as the 43rd President of Haiti from 2017 until his assassination in 2021. He assumed the presidency in February 2017 after winning the November 2016 election. In 2019, Haiti experienced widespread protests and unrest. In the early morning of 7 July 2021, Moïse was assassinated, and his wife Martine was injured during an attack on their private residence in Pétion-Ville. Claude Joseph assumed the role of acting president in the aftermath of Moïse's assassination.
Jean-Charles Moïse is a Haitian politician. He is the leader of the Pitit Desalin political party, and was a candidate for President of Haiti in 2015, and again in 2016, when the presidential elections were redone. He served 3 consecutive terms as the mayor of Milot, in the north of Haiti, and one term as Senator for the Nord Department. He resigned from the Senate with 2 years left on his mandate in protest to allegedly having been offered a bribe to stop his opposition against then President Michel Martelly. Prior to the founding of the Pitit Desalin party, Moïse was a member of the INITE party.
Alternative League for Haitian Progress and Emancipation is a Haitian political party. The party is led by Jude Célestin, and held three seats in the Chamber of Deputies after the 2015 election, while holding no seats in the Senate, although both houses of Haitian parliament have been vacant since January 10, 2023. The party abbreviation, LAPEH, is pronounced like the Haitian Creole word "lapé", meaning "peace", from French "la paix".
Michel-Olivier Martelly, better known as Olivier Martelly, is a Haitian American singer. He has a stage name, BigO.
Presidential elections were held in Haiti on 20 November 2016 after having been postponed several times. The elections were overseen by the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), and were held using the two-round system, with a second round scheduled for 29 January 2017 if no candidate received an absolute majority of the votes in the first round. However, on 27 November election officials announced that, according to preliminary results, Jovenel Moïse had won the election in the first round with more than 50% of the vote. Voter turnout, in the election held 6 weeks after Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti, was reported to be 21%. Jovenel Moïse assumed office on 7 February 2017, and was assassinated on 7 July 2021.
Indirect presidential elections were held in Haiti on 13-14 February 2016 following the annulment of the results of the 2015 elections by the Provisional Electoral Council, and after the incumbent president Michel Martelly resigned the presidency on 10 February 2016, leaving Haiti without a president. The members of the National Assembly voted for the provisional President on 13 February 2016 in the first round and on 14 February in the second round.
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.
Jean Henry Céant is a Haitian politician who was the twenty-first Prime Minister of Haiti. He was sanctioned by the Canadian Government for his involvement in human rights violations and supporting criminal gangs on 17 November 2022.
Plateforme Vérité was a Haitian political party co-founded by former president René Préval. After the 2015-16 legislative elections, Vérité emerged as the second largest party behind only the PHTK, winning 17 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and three in the Senate.
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