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Caribbean & Central America - February 2016 (ISSN 1741-4458)

HAITI: Heading into a power vacuum

For the second time in 12 years, Haiti will have an interim government. Days before the 24 January presidential run-off between Jovenel Moïse of President Michel Martelly’s Parti Haïtien Têt Kalé (PHTK) and Jude Célestin of the opposition Ligue Alternative Pour le Progrés et l’Emancipation Haïtienne (Lapeh) party, along with partial legislative run-offs, the provisional electoral council (CEP) cancelled the vote. This meant the 7 February constitutionally mandated handover of presidential power was not met. The CEP cited “a deteriorating security environment and threats to the electoral process” as grounds for its decision but Célestin had already refused to take part, given alleged fraud during the 25 October presidential first round. While Martelly stepped down as president on 7 February following a last minute deal with the heads of the legislature to install a transition government, uncertainty persists. With no provision in Haiti’s constitution for a transition of power after a president’s term expires, the ‘G-8’ group of opposition presidential candidates headed up by Célestin have rejected the agreement. Another major bone of contention is what to do about the previous election and even which candidates should participate given doubts over Moïse’s legitimate place in the run-off.

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