Haiti postpones election campaigning and prepares a new timetable
Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council postponed the campaign period and said it would publish a revised timetable later. A council member told AFP that the first-round date of December 13 no longer stood. Voter registration continues. The country last held elections in 2016, while gang violence and displacement constrain preparations. An international security force is being deployed to help local police as Haiti works toward another vote.
Geopolitics··Evening
Campaigning awaits a revised calendar
Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council postponed the scheduled election campaign period. It said an updated calendar would be released later, taking technical and operational requirements into account. Voter registration continues. The council has not yet announced new start and end dates for campaigning.[1], [2]
The first round of presidential and legislative elections had been planned for December 13, with a second round on February 21, 2027. Speaking on condition of anonymity on October 6, a council member said the December 13 date no longer stood and that work on a revised calendar was underway.[1]
Haiti has held no elections since 2016
Haiti last held elections in 2016. Its last president was assassinated in 2021 and has not been replaced by an elected president. Gang violence constrains electoral preparations. According to the International Organization for Migration, nearly 1.5 million people are internally displaced by violence in Haiti, a country of approximately 11 million inhabitants. Attacks extend beyond the capital.[1]
An international force supports local police
The United Nations-backed Gang Suppression Force is being deployed gradually to assist local police. Its intended strength is 5,500 personnel, while approximately 1,500 are present. It replaced the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission. At the end of September, the UN Security Council extended its mandate by six months and emphasised security conditions conducive to free and fair elections.[1]
