Haiti Moves Towards First General Election Since 2016

Haiti has taken its first real step toward restoring democratic rule after years of political crisis. The country’s transitional presidential council has finally approved a long-delayed electoral law, which has opened the door for Haiti to schedule its first general election since 2016, NBC News reported.

Council President Laurent Saint-Cyr said the decision was necessary to restore democratic governance. “We must finally offer the Haitian people the opportunity to freely and responsibly choose those who will lead them,” he wrote on X. He said the council “remains fully committed to restoring security” and “putting Haiti back on the path to democratic legitimacy and stability.”

The approval came at a time of internal tensions. Several council members have pushed for the removal of Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.

The vote was held late Monday, and according to local newspaper Le Nouvelliste, three of the seven voting members did not attend.

Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council plans to hold the first round of voting in August and the final round in December 2026. Authorities warn that gang violence could force delays.

Haiti has not held a general election since 2016. The country has been without a president since Jovenel Moïse was assassinated at his private residence in July 2021.