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PoliticsHaiti announces presidential and legislative elections for late 2026, conditional on security
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Haiti's provisional electoral council announced on July 27, 2026, that presidential and legislative elections will be held at the end of the year, with the first round scheduled for December 13, 2026, and a potential second round on February 21, 2027. The holding of the elections is conditional on 'the establishment of an acceptable security climate' and sufficient financial resources, as the country remains ravaged by gang violence. Haiti has not held elections since 2016, and President Jovenel Moïse, assassinated in 2021, has not been replaced. A previous calendar from December 2025, which set a first round for August 30, 2026, has already been abandoned. The Caribbean Community (Caricom) welcomed the announcement as an essential step. Voter registration began on July 20, and candidacies must be submitted by October 2. The security crisis has driven nearly 1.5 million people from their homes out of a population of approximately 11 million.
Source report
A polling station in Port-au-Prince, January 29, 2017. HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP
Haiti's electoral authorities announced on Monday, July 27, that presidential and legislative elections would be held at the end of the year, contingent upon "the establishment of an acceptable security climate" — a significant challenge in this poor Caribbean nation ravaged by gang violence.
Election Calendar
According to the calendar published by the provisional electoral council:
- First round: December 13, 2026
- Second round: February 21, 2027
"Compliance with these deadlines depends on the establishment of an acceptable security climate and the financial resources necessary to continue electoral operations," the statement specifies.
Background
The Haitian state has not held elections since 2016. The country's last president, Jovenel Moïse, assassinated in 2021, has not been replaced. In December 2025, authorities had announced a first round for August 30, 2026 — a calendar already obsolete.
International Reaction
The new announcement was welcomed by the Caribbean Community (Caricom), which described it as "an essential step" that "was eagerly awaited by Haitian stakeholders and the international community."
Key Deadlines
The published calendar notes:
- Voter registration: Began July 20 (last week)
- Candidate submission deadline: October 2, for presidential, legislative, and local elections
"The publication of the calendar will undoubtedly accelerate the essential preparatory steps of the ongoing electoral process, such as the registration of political parties, platforms, and coalitions, as well as voter registration," the institution stated.
Ongoing Crisis
Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has long suffered a political, economic, and security crisis. The situation has deteriorated significantly in recent years, with gangs multiplying murders, kidnappings, rapes, and child recruitment.
According to a June estimate by the International Organization for Migration, violence has driven nearly 1.5 million people from their homes out of approximately 11 million inhabitants. The organization noted that attacks were not limited to the capital.
Source
Politique : Toute l’actualité sur Le Monde.fr.Western
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Haiti Announces Presidential and Legislative Elections for Late 2026, Conditional on Security