The Diplomat
The Embassy of the Republic of Haiti has informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation that September 19, 2021 is the date set for the first round of legislative and presidential elections in Haiti.
According to the electoral timeline published by the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), the first round of these elections will be followed by a second round on January 5, as well as municipal and local elections scheduled for November 21, 2021.
In his letter, Haitian Ambassador Louis Marie Montfort Saintil states, “The elections in Haiti are a manifestation of the will to contribute to reform in the country. The legislative elections announced by the CEP open the way for strong institutions and the consolidation of democracy. It also stresses “the importance of strengthening institutions because of the political vacuum created by parliamentary dysfunctions. The publication of the electoral calendar is an imperative to get all the country’s institutions back on their feet from February 2022.
“Any country that considers itself democratic,” continued the Haitian ambassador, “requires free and transparent elections to be legitimate and to be able to move forward on the path to prosperity. This is why the support of the international community is essential in organizing the new elections. Haiti will need the assistance and support of the IC in order to overcome the institutional void and move forward on the path of democratic progress. “There is no doubt that President Jovenel Moise is keeping his promise to make 2021 the great electoral year to renew the country’s political authorities,” he added.
The Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, has already expressed the Organisation’s support for the elections through a virtual meeting he held with Haitian Foreign Minister Claude Joseph at the beginning of this month of January, and called for a comprehensive electoral process that will culminate in a democratic and peaceful transfer of power next year,” the diplomat said, rejecting the opposition’s proposal for a political transition in the country.
According to the calendar, the CEP is already working on the establishment of the municipal electoral offices (BEC) and the departmental electoral offices (BED) and on updating the general electoral roll. The mobilization campaign for greater voter participation has also been launched throughout the country.
According to the letter issued to the MAEC, on April 25, 2021, Haitian citizens will be called to the referendum to approve the new Constitution. It should be noted that a large part of the Haitian population is in favour of constitutional reform (close to 90 percent according to surveys). However, it will not be until 2 May 2021 that the official results of this major popular process, which is so important for the country’s future, will be known. These results will determine under which constitutional norm the rules for the new elections will be established. However, it will be from 25 May onwards that the registration of candidates for the various electoral positions will begin.
Louis Marie Montfort Saintil concludes by stating that “the coronavirus crisis, among others, is one of the global challenges that highlights the need to involve all the institutions of a country in the development of public policies with the main objective of ensuring the well-being of the population. The new elections to be held in Haiti are intended to reflect the Government’s desire to develop institutional cohesion among all sectors of national life, in order to have a common and coordinated response to all national and global challenges.
