Fanmi Lavalas
Encyclopedia
Fanmi Lavalas is a leftist political party
in Haiti
. Its leader is former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide
. It has been a powerful force in Haitian politics since 1991. Fanmi Lavalas governments supported a policy of "growth with equity" based on Caribbean and Western European social democratic principles. Fanmi Lavalas governments have invested in education and health care and refused International Monetary Fund
austerity measures.
Fanmi Lavalas was formed in 1996 as a split by Aristide and the poor masses from the smaller Struggling People's Party. Two main reasons for its creation are known: (1) to allow the Lavalas movement to remain inclusive while opposing the neo-liberal policies of the foreign-influenced OPL; (2) to prevent rival politicians from taking over the movement's leadership from Aristide and other more left-wing leaders. The Haitian military overthrew Aristide's first government in 1991. "Fanmi Lavalas" may be roughly translated into English as "Avalanche Family" or "Waterfall Family" (referring to the Biblical flood), but the name is almost never completely translated from Kréyòl, although it is sometimes given as "Lavalas Family".
Elections
were set for 2006 by the Interim Government, which was established by the governments of Canada, the US, and France. Certain members of Fanmi Lavalas claimed that Marc Bazin
was the Lavalas candidate. However, its grassroots supporters overwhelmingly supported René Préval
in his campaign as president. Lavalas candidates boycotted the election
for the most part, but its voters supported the emergence of Preval's Lespwa
party. The results of the election of the 7 February and 21 April 2006 Chamber of Deputies
are not available.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
. Its leader is former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian former Catholic priest and politician who served as Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies...
. It has been a powerful force in Haitian politics since 1991. Fanmi Lavalas governments supported a policy of "growth with equity" based on Caribbean and Western European social democratic principles. Fanmi Lavalas governments have invested in education and health care and refused International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
austerity measures.
Fanmi Lavalas was formed in 1996 as a split by Aristide and the poor masses from the smaller Struggling People's Party. Two main reasons for its creation are known: (1) to allow the Lavalas movement to remain inclusive while opposing the neo-liberal policies of the foreign-influenced OPL; (2) to prevent rival politicians from taking over the movement's leadership from Aristide and other more left-wing leaders. The Haitian military overthrew Aristide's first government in 1991. "Fanmi Lavalas" may be roughly translated into English as "Avalanche Family" or "Waterfall Family" (referring to the Biblical flood), but the name is almost never completely translated from Kréyòl, although it is sometimes given as "Lavalas Family".
Elections
Haitian elections, 2006
The 2006 elections in Haiti, to replace the interim government of Gérard Latortue put in place after the 2004 Haiti rebellion, were delayed four times after having been originally scheduled for October and November 2005. The elections finally took place on February 7, 2006, with turnout of around 60%...
were set for 2006 by the Interim Government, which was established by the governments of Canada, the US, and France. Certain members of Fanmi Lavalas claimed that Marc Bazin
Marc Bazin
Marc Louis Bazin was a World Bank official, former United Nations functionary and Haïtian Minister of Finance and Economy under the dictatorship of Jean-Claude Duvalier...
was the Lavalas candidate. However, its grassroots supporters overwhelmingly supported René Préval
René Préval
René Garcia Préval is a Haitian politician and agronomist who was the President of the Republic of Haiti from 14 May 2006 to 14 May 2011. He previously served as President from February 7, 1996, to February 7, 2001, and as Prime Minister from February 1991 to October 11, 1991.-Early life and...
in his campaign as president. Lavalas candidates boycotted the election
Election boycott
An election boycott is the boycotting of an election by a group of voters, each of whom abstains from voting.Boycotting may be used as a form of political protest where voters feel that electoral fraud is likely, or that the electoral system is biased against its candidates, or that the polity...
for the most part, but its voters supported the emergence of Preval's Lespwa
Lespwa
Fwon Lespwa is a Haitian political coalition headed by René Préval, who served as president from 1996 to 2001 and from 2006 to 2011. The name Lespwa is the Haitian Creole form of the French l'espoir, meaning "hope". The coalition's full French name is Front de l'Espoir...
party. The results of the election of the 7 February and 21 April 2006 Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Haïti
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of Haiti's bicameral legislature, the National Assembly. The upper house of the National Assembly is the Senate of Haiti. The Chamber has ninety-nine members who are elected by popular vote to four-year terms...
are not available.
Election exclusion
The Fanmi Lavalas party has been excluded from most Haitian elections since the 2004 coup d'état that toppled it from power. It was again excluded from participation in the 2010–2011 Haitian general election by the electoral council.Members of Committee
Youseline Augustin Bell - Committee of Finance, Jacob François - Commission of Information, Majolie Zéphirin - Commission of Information, Jean Luc Bell - Commission of Youth. Members: Louis Bonnet, Ernst Montoban, Jerry Jean Louis, Jean Pierre Barthol, Gary Servius, Claudine Janvier, Philippe André Jacques, Bazelais François, Fritz Péan, Roosevelt Goguette, Abel Moise, Vital Tholerme, Bellefleur Jean, Romane Joseph, Jean Elie Pierre-Louis, Rivière Dantès, Tony Désir, André JosephExternal links
- Official website
- Fanmi Lavalas Commission of Communication
- Haiti: Fanmi Lavalas Banned, Voter Apprehension Widespread. Inter Press Service, April 2008, Jeb Sprague.
- The Fanmi Lavalas Political Project - Review of three books. NACLA Report on the Americas. November–December 2008. Issue Vol. 41, No. 6. By Jeb Sprague.