Haitian general election, 2010
Encyclopedia
The Haitian general election, originally scheduled in Haiti
for 28 February 2010, was postponed to 28 November. Ten senators
and all 99 deputies
were to be elected.
Presidential elections were also held. A run-off was originally scheduled for 16 January as no candidate received 50 percent of the votes cast. However, it was postponed until 20 March 2011 as election officials said they could not hold the runoff while awaiting results from re-polling,http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/01/201114234022990732.html with results expected on 31 March.
Official results, announced on 21 April, 2011, showed Michel Martelly defeating Mirlande Manigat
in the second round of the presidential election.
and legislative
election
s. Following the earthquake, there were concerns of instability in the country, and the election came amid international pressure over instability in the country. The election was termed in the media as a "seismic" one. This would be the third democratic election in Haitian history.
The list of presidential candidates was to have become official on August 17 after the nine-member provisional electoral council was to announce the eligibility criteria. However, the election commission postponed its ruling until August 19 because of disagreement on the electoral law which stipulates that candidates must hold an Haitian passport and have five consecutive years of residence in Haiti, among other requirements. This was to affect Wyclef Jean, Jacques Edouard Alexis, and Leslie Voltaire.
The absence of the Fanmi Lavalas
(FL) party was notable because of its popular support. Peter Hallward
explained: "The final FL list of candidates was endorsed by the party leader (Jean Bertrand Aristide) by fax, but at the last minute the CEP invented a new requirement, knowing FL would be unable to meet it: Aristide, still exiled in South Africa and denied entry to Haiti, would have to sign the list in person."
left Haiti for the United States at the age of 9, he said he is qualified to run for President and was in Haiti to initiate the legal process with lawyers and have his fingerprints taken by the judicial police to run for president. He did, however, declare that "There are a lot of rumors that I am running for president. I have not declared that. If we decide to move forward, I am pretty sure that we [would] have all our paperwork straight." He added that after discussions with his family he would "decide on what we're going to do because it is a big sacrifice." His aides said he would officially announce his candidacy on CNN
in the United States before flying back to Haiti to enter the race. Some analysts predicted Jean's popularity with the youth of Haiti could help him "easily win the presidential election if his candidacy were approved." On 5 August, he officially registered as a candidate for Viv Ansanm ("Live Together") party with the motto "Fas a Fas." ("Face to Face") The head of the party, Daniel Jean Jacques, confirmed Jean would be the party's candidate for President. Jean spoke of his nomination as "a moment in time and in history. It's very emotional. The United States has Barack Obama and Haiti has Wyclef Jean." He told CNN
's Wolf Blitzer
that he was running, despite Blitzer's questions about Jean's actual citizenship and passport facts. He also resigned from the chairmanship of Yéle Haiti
.
He was criticised by Pras Michel, one of his former bandmates in the Fugees, for the decision to run for president. Others criticised him for his lack of political experience and a vague platform he was to have run on. In the United States he was also criticised by Sean Penn
and Arcade Fire's Win Butler
who said "Technically, [Wyclef Jean] shouldn't be eligible because he hasn't been a resident of Haiti. And I think him not speaking French and not being fluent in Creole
would be a really major issue in trying to run a really complex government, like the government in Haiti. It would kind of be like Arnold Schwarzenegger
only speaking Austrian
and being elected president of the United States after New York City
and L.A.
had burned to the ground...I think he is a great musician and he really passionately cares about Haiti. I really hope he throws his support behind someone who is really competent and really eligible."
On August 20, 2010, he was deemed ineligible to run for the presidency and his candidacy was rejected by Haiti's Electoral Council. While he accepted the ruling, many supporters protested the decision. He asked his supporters to stay calm in the wake of the ruling. He also responded in saying he would file an appeal and that "[The political establishment] are trying to keep us out of the race." He argued that he could not comply with the law so strictly because President René Préval had appointed him as a roving ambassador in 2007 and he was allowed to travel and live outside the country.
Other candidates include: Axan Abellard, Charles Voigt, Claire Lydie Parent, Dejean Belizaire, Duroseau Vilaire Cluny, Eric Charles, Francois Turnier, Garaudy Laguerre, Gary Guiteau, Genard Joseph, Gerard Blot, Guy Theodore, Jacques Philippe Eugene, Jean Bertin, Jean Hector Anacacis, Josette Bijou, Kesnel Dalmacy, Leon Jeune, Mario Eddy Rodriguez, Menelas Vilsaint, Olicier Pieriche, Rene Saint-Fort, Wilkens C. Gilles, Yves Christalin, Paul Arthur Fleurival.
Two issues for candidates to answer were considered rebuilding from the earthquake earlier in the year and an outbreak of cholera less than two months before the election, which was blamed on the United Nations by many Haitians. The UN alleged that the outbreak was used for "political reasons because of forthcoming elections," as the government in Haiti sent its own forces to "protect" the peacekeepers.
The election was termed in the media as a "seismic" one.
issued decrees ordering the country's nine-member provisional electoral council to organise the election. However he still did not address calls for the council itself to be replaced before a vote is held. Despite the constitutional legitimacy and impartiality of the CEP
having been challenged.
Some questioned whether Haiti was ready to hold an election following the earthquake that left more than a million people in makeshift camps and without IDs. There was also a fear that the election could throw the country into a political crisis due to a lack of transparency and voting fraud.
Canada
had also pressured Haiti to hold elections as stipulated in its constitution
. It wanted a firm commitment to holding elections by the end of the year as domestic opposition grew to incumbent President René Préval's response to the earthquake.
Due to the elections and allegedly accepted instability, Haitian security services were given special training by foreign forces.
The United Nations
voted to extend MINUSTAH's mandate amid fears of instability. This was greeted with protesters in Port-au-Prince
carrying banners reading "Down with the occupation," and burning the flag of Brazil
, as they had the largest contingent in MINUSTAH. Despite months of relative calm after the earthquake, this represented a "chorus of opposition to René Préval, Haiti's president, and to UN forces."
Due to the cholera outbreak, there were fears that the election could be postponed. However, the head of MINUSTAH, Edmond Mulet
, said that it should not be delayed as that could lead to a political vacuum with untold potential problems.
Following a deal reached in late December 2010 to look into the vote counting process and have re-polling in certain constituencies, the run-off was postponed until at least February 2011. Pierre-Louis Opont, the director general of the Provisional Electoral Council said: "It will be materially impossible to hold the run-off on January 16. From the date of the publication of the final results of the first round, we will need at least one month to hold the run-off." He also said that a report by the Organisation of American States and a completion of review for the results that had been challenged would be needed first.
The OAS report proposed that Manigat and Martelly advance to the run-off, dropping Célestin from the second round. However, the Provisional Electoral Council rejected that suggestion on 19 January 2011. Célestin was reportedly likely to drop out of the run-off by himself, however, as stated by a member of his party on 25 January 2011. The official withdrawal statement came on 26 January 2011.
Baby Doc returned to Haiti on 16 January, 2011 in what was seen as possibly more uncertainty. Corruption and theft charges were then filed against him. Jean-Bertrand Aristide returned in March amidst concern for stability by both the runoff candidates. The rumour of his return led to several thousand of his supporters in Port-au-Prince
demanding that without Aristide there should not be a second round election. The protest even reached as far as Miami, where approximately 60 protesters gathered in front of the offices of The Miami Herald
. Questions were then asked about the effect the former presidents could have on the political process.
Jude Celestin, backed by the incumbent government, was also dropped from the runoff race as a result of international pressure. Martelly even went as far as to campaign in Miami in the United States of America, which is home to a large number of Haitian expatriate
s.
On 17 February, Wyclef Jean announced his support for Martelly in the second round of the presidential election. Wyclef Jean was also shot at and grazed by a bullet the day before the second round vote during campaigning for Martelly. He was wounded and taken to a hospital.
International factor
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Haiti during the campaign for second round voting to meet the incumbent president and presidential candidates.
U.S. President Barack Obama
pressured the government of South Africa
to delay former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide's attempt to return to Haiti, however, the request which was rejected by Aristide himself.
14 November 2010:
6–10 February 2011 (runoff):
During the first round of voting, two people were killed in a firefight between rival parties' supporters in Aquin
, with several injured in violence across the country.
During voting for the second round some polling stations failed to open on time as they lacked the necessary equipment and documents.
In a January 2011 report the Center for Economic and Policy Research
concluded that 71.5% of the eligible Haitian population did not vote during the first round of the election on November 28th 2010. Furthermore, from the remaining votes 8.1% were considered to be invalid, leaving only 20.1% of the votes being cast on one of the candidates in the election.
The result for the first round presidential poll was announced on 3 February, 2011, with the run-off set for 20 March between Manigat and Martelly.
and the CARICOM
who, after a preliminary report, said that there many problems surrounding the election. Following further protests by several candidates, the UN called for calm and urged candidates to call on their supporters not to instigate trouble. It also said that a deteriorating security situation could undermine containment of the cholera epidemic. CBC News
reporters also alleged that there was "massive fraud," though they did no clarify what they meant. Protests continued in Port-au-Prince and Gonaives, with barricades in the streets. Port-au-Prince had four consecutive days of protests.
called Martelly a "friend of coup-plotters, fascists, and armed right-wing groups in his country and abroad."
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...
for 28 February 2010, was postponed to 28 November. Ten senators
Senate of Haiti
The Senate of Haiti is the upper house of Haiti's bicameral legislature, the National Assembly. The lower house of the National Assembly is the Chamber of Deputies. The Senate consists of thirty seats, with three members from each of the ten administrative departments. Prior to the creation of the...
and all 99 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...
were to be elected.
Presidential elections were also held. A run-off was originally scheduled for 16 January as no candidate received 50 percent of the votes cast. However, it was postponed until 20 March 2011 as election officials said they could not hold the runoff while awaiting results from re-polling,http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/01/201114234022990732.html with results expected on 31 March.
Official results, announced on 21 April, 2011, showed Michel Martelly defeating Mirlande Manigat
Mirlande Manigat
Mirlande Manigat is a Haitian politician and candidate in the 2010 presidential election. She is the wife of former president Leslie Manigat.-2010 presidential election:...
in the second round of the presidential election.
Background
Due to the January 2010 earthquake, election was indefinitely postponed; although November 28 was then decided as the date to hold the PresidentialPresident of Haiti
The President of the Republic of Haiti is the head of state of Haiti. Executive power in Haiti is divided between the president and the government headed by the Prime Minister of Haiti...
and legislative
National Assembly of Haïti
The Parliament of Haiti is the legislature of the Republic of Haiti. It sits at the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. The Parliament is bicameral, the upper house being the Senate of Haiti and the lower house being the Chamber of Deputies of Haiti....
election
Elections in Haïti
Elections in Haiti gives information on election and election results in Haiti.The current president is René Préval, who received 51 percent of the votes in the 2005 elections...
s. Following the earthquake, there were concerns of instability in the country, and the election came amid international pressure over instability in the country. The election was termed in the media as a "seismic" one. This would be the third democratic election in Haitian history.
Presidential candidates
The deadline to file candidacy for the elections was August 7.The list of presidential candidates was to have become official on August 17 after the nine-member provisional electoral council was to announce the eligibility criteria. However, the election commission postponed its ruling until August 19 because of disagreement on the electoral law which stipulates that candidates must hold an Haitian passport and have five consecutive years of residence in Haiti, among other requirements. This was to affect Wyclef Jean, Jacques Edouard Alexis, and Leslie Voltaire.
The absence of the Fanmi Lavalas
Fanmi Lavalas
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...
(FL) party was notable because of its popular support. Peter Hallward
Peter Hallward
Peter Hallward is a Canadian political philosopher, best known for his work on Alain Badiou and Gilles Deleuze. He has also published works on post-colonialism and contemporary Haiti...
explained: "The final FL list of candidates was endorsed by the party leader (Jean Bertrand Aristide) by fax, but at the last minute the CEP invented a new requirement, knowing FL would be unable to meet it: Aristide, still exiled in South Africa and denied entry to Haiti, would have to sign the list in person."
Wyclef Jean
Musician Wyclef JeanWyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
left Haiti for the United States at the age of 9, he said he is qualified to run for President and was in Haiti to initiate the legal process with lawyers and have his fingerprints taken by the judicial police to run for president. He did, however, declare that "There are a lot of rumors that I am running for president. I have not declared that. If we decide to move forward, I am pretty sure that we [would] have all our paperwork straight." He added that after discussions with his family he would "decide on what we're going to do because it is a big sacrifice." His aides said he would officially announce his candidacy on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
in the United States before flying back to Haiti to enter the race. Some analysts predicted Jean's popularity with the youth of Haiti could help him "easily win the presidential election if his candidacy were approved." On 5 August, he officially registered as a candidate for Viv Ansanm ("Live Together") party with the motto "Fas a Fas." ("Face to Face") The head of the party, Daniel Jean Jacques, confirmed Jean would be the party's candidate for President. Jean spoke of his nomination as "a moment in time and in history. It's very emotional. The United States has Barack Obama and Haiti has Wyclef Jean." He told CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Wolf Blitzer
Wolf Blitzer
Wolf Isaac Blitzer is an American journalist who has been a CNN reporter since 1990. Blitzer is currently the host of the newscast The Situation Room and was the host of the Sunday talk show Late Edition until it was discontinued on January 11, 2009...
that he was running, despite Blitzer's questions about Jean's actual citizenship and passport facts. He also resigned from the chairmanship of Yéle Haiti
Yéle Haiti
Yéle Haiti is a charitable organization found by Wyclef Jean, Jerry Duplessis and Hugh Locke in January 2005, in the wake of Hurricane Jeanne which devastated the island...
.
He was criticised by Pras Michel, one of his former bandmates in the Fugees, for the decision to run for president. Others criticised him for his lack of political experience and a vague platform he was to have run on. In the United States he was also criticised by Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
and Arcade Fire's Win Butler
Win Butler
Win Butler is the lead vocalist and songwriter of the Montreal-based indie rock band Arcade Fire. His wife Régine Chassagne and his brother William Butler are both members of the band.-Life and career:...
who said "Technically, [Wyclef Jean] shouldn't be eligible because he hasn't been a resident of Haiti. And I think him not speaking French and not being fluent in Creole
Creole language
A creole language, or simply a creole, is a stable natural language developed from the mixing of parent languages; creoles differ from pidgins in that they have been nativized by children as their primary language, making them have features of natural languages that are normally missing from...
would be a really major issue in trying to run a really complex government, like the government in Haiti. It would kind of be like Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
only speaking Austrian
Austrian German
Austrian German , or Austrian Standard German, is the national standard variety of the German language spoken in Austria and in the autonomous Province of South Tyrol...
and being elected president of the United States after New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and L.A.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
had burned to the ground...I think he is a great musician and he really passionately cares about Haiti. I really hope he throws his support behind someone who is really competent and really eligible."
On August 20, 2010, he was deemed ineligible to run for the presidency and his candidacy was rejected by Haiti's Electoral Council. While he accepted the ruling, many supporters protested the decision. He asked his supporters to stay calm in the wake of the ruling. He also responded in saying he would file an appeal and that "[The political establishment] are trying to keep us out of the race." He argued that he could not comply with the law so strictly because President René Préval had appointed him as a roving ambassador in 2007 and he was allowed to travel and live outside the country.
Final list of candidates
There were supposed to have been 34 candidates in the preliminary race but a Haitian political website came up with 38.- Charles Henri BakerCharles Henri BakerCharles-Henri Jean-Marie Baker is a Haitian industrialist and Presidential Candidate. He is a former Vice President of the Group of 184. Baker was a candidate for president in Haiti's 2006 and 2010 elections.-Early life:...
, a prominent businessman in the apparel industry. Charles Henri Baker is running under the Respè PartyRespect (Haiti)Respect is a political party in Haiti.-2006 Haitian Presidential Election:In the presidential elections of 7 February 2006, its candidate Charles Henri Baker won 8,24 % of the popular vote....
. - Jean Henry Ceant, a prominent notaire and founder of Aimer Haiti which operated one of the few hospitals after the January 12 quake.
- Jacques-Édouard AlexisJacques-Édouard AlexisJacques-Édouard Alexis is a Haitian politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Haiti from 1999 to 2001 and was Prime Minister for a second term from 2006 to 2008 when he was dismissed due to political fallout from food riots....
, a two-time former prime minister who was forced to resign in the aftermath of food riots in 2008. - Jude CélestinJude CélestinJude Célestin is a Haitian politician who was a candidate in the 2010 presidential election. After an education in Port-au-Prince, Célestin studied mechanical engineering in Switzerland...
, Executive director of the government's road-building outfit, the National Center of Equipment, and member of President René Préval's Unity (Inite) party. - Eddy Delaleu, President, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer of the NGO Operation Hope for Children of Haiti since its inception in 1994.
- Lavarice Gaudin, an Aristide ally and Miami activist and radio commentator.
- Wilson Jeudi, mayor of Delmas who organized a sister-city relationship with North Miami.
- Chavannes JeuneChavannes JeuneChavannes Jeune is an influential Haitian Christian leader, pastor and evangelist, and an unsuccessful candidate for President of Haiti in 2005....
, development agent, civil engineer and evangelist who came in 3rd place in 2006 election. - Raymond JosephRaymond JosephRaymond Alcide Joseph is a Haitian diplomat, political activist and journalist. He was the Haitian ambassador to the United States from 2005 to 2010, when he resigned to present himself as a candidate in the 2010 Presidential Election in Haiti...
, former ambassador to the United States and Wyclef Jean's uncle. - Mirlande ManigatMirlande ManigatMirlande Manigat is a Haitian politician and candidate in the 2010 presidential election. She is the wife of former president Leslie Manigat.-2010 presidential election:...
, a longtime opposition leader, professor, and former first ladyFirst LadyFirst Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
. - Michel Martelly, a compas musician and entertainer whose lyrics have poked fun at the concept of the Haitian presidency.
- Yvon NeptuneYvon NeptuneYvon Neptune was Prime Minister of Haïti from 2002 until 2004. He was appointed by President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and took office on March 15, 2002...
, an architect and ex-senator who served as prime minister under former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. - Leslie Voltaire, an US-educated urban planner, former minister, and government liaison to the United Nations.
Other candidates include: Axan Abellard, Charles Voigt, Claire Lydie Parent, Dejean Belizaire, Duroseau Vilaire Cluny, Eric Charles, Francois Turnier, Garaudy Laguerre, Gary Guiteau, Genard Joseph, Gerard Blot, Guy Theodore, Jacques Philippe Eugene, Jean Bertin, Jean Hector Anacacis, Josette Bijou, Kesnel Dalmacy, Leon Jeune, Mario Eddy Rodriguez, Menelas Vilsaint, Olicier Pieriche, Rene Saint-Fort, Wilkens C. Gilles, Yves Christalin, Paul Arthur Fleurival.
Campaign
President René Préval told the UN, "It is important that we take this difficult process to a conclusion, with rigour, equality, and transparency, essential conditions for consolidating our young democracy. I therefore call on all the national stakeholders and our overseas friends so we can successfully cross this electoral crossroads together."Two issues for candidates to answer were considered rebuilding from the earthquake earlier in the year and an outbreak of cholera less than two months before the election, which was blamed on the United Nations by many Haitians. The UN alleged that the outbreak was used for "political reasons because of forthcoming elections," as the government in Haiti sent its own forces to "protect" the peacekeepers.
The election was termed in the media as a "seismic" one.
Controversy
Following demonstration and demands by the opposition to hold elections amid a parliamentary call that he can stay beyond his 7 February mandate, President René PrévalRené 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...
issued decrees ordering the country's nine-member provisional electoral council to organise the election. However he still did not address calls for the council itself to be replaced before a vote is held. Despite the constitutional legitimacy and impartiality of the CEP
Provisional Electoral Council
The Provisional Electoral Council is the electoral commission of Haiti.-Current members for 2010:* Jean Enel Desir* Jean T. Pierre Toussaint * Ribel Pierre* Anténor Guerrier* Gaillot Dorsainvil...
having been challenged.
Some questioned whether Haiti was ready to hold an election following the earthquake that left more than a million people in makeshift camps and without IDs. There was also a fear that the election could throw the country into a political crisis due to a lack of transparency and voting fraud.
Canada
Foreign relations of Canada
The foreign relations of Canada are Canada's relations with other governments and peoples. Canada's most important relationship, being the largest trading relationship in the world, is with the United States...
had also pressured Haiti to hold elections as stipulated in its constitution
Constitution of Haïti
The Constitution of Haiti most commonly refers to the present-day Constitution of Haiti, which was modeled after those of the United States and of France. The document was ratified in March 1987, but it was completely suspended from June 1988 to March 1989 and was only fully reinstated in October...
. It wanted a firm commitment to holding elections by the end of the year as domestic opposition grew to incumbent President René Préval's response to the earthquake.
Due to the elections and allegedly accepted instability, Haitian security services were given special training by foreign forces.
The United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
voted to extend MINUSTAH's mandate amid fears of instability. This was greeted with protesters in Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
carrying banners reading "Down with the occupation," and burning the flag of Brazil
Flag of Brazil
The national flag of Brazil is a blue disc depicting a starry sky spanned by a curved band inscribed with the national motto, within a yellow rhombus, on a green field. Brazil officially adopted this design for its national flag on November 19, 1889, replacing the flag of the second Empire of Brazil...
, as they had the largest contingent in MINUSTAH. Despite months of relative calm after the earthquake, this represented a "chorus of opposition to René Préval, Haiti's president, and to UN forces."
Due to the cholera outbreak, there were fears that the election could be postponed. However, the head of MINUSTAH, Edmond Mulet
Edmond Mulet
Edmond Mulet is a Guatemalan diplomat. He is currently the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of mission of MINUSTAH, having assumed the functions of acting head of mission in the immediate aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, in which the previous head of mission, Hédi...
, said that it should not be delayed as that could lead to a political vacuum with untold potential problems.
Post-1st round
There have also been calls for Martelly to be included in the run-off; however, he has stated that he would not take part if Célestin is also a candidate in the run-off. A recount was announced on 10 December. However, both Manigat and Martelly then rejected the proposed recount, with only Célestin accepting it. Manigat and Martelly also criticised the lack of clear procedures or a timetable.Following a deal reached in late December 2010 to look into the vote counting process and have re-polling in certain constituencies, the run-off was postponed until at least February 2011. Pierre-Louis Opont, the director general of the Provisional Electoral Council said: "It will be materially impossible to hold the run-off on January 16. From the date of the publication of the final results of the first round, we will need at least one month to hold the run-off." He also said that a report by the Organisation of American States and a completion of review for the results that had been challenged would be needed first.
The OAS report proposed that Manigat and Martelly advance to the run-off, dropping Célestin from the second round. However, the Provisional Electoral Council rejected that suggestion on 19 January 2011. Célestin was reportedly likely to drop out of the run-off by himself, however, as stated by a member of his party on 25 January 2011. The official withdrawal statement came on 26 January 2011.
Baby Doc returned to Haiti on 16 January, 2011 in what was seen as possibly more uncertainty. Corruption and theft charges were then filed against him. Jean-Bertrand Aristide returned in March amidst concern for stability by both the runoff candidates. The rumour of his return led to several thousand of his supporters in Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
demanding that without Aristide there should not be a second round election. The protest even reached as far as Miami, where approximately 60 protesters gathered in front of the offices of The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald is a daily newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company headquartered on Biscayne Bay in the Omni district of Downtown Miami, Florida, United States...
. Questions were then asked about the effect the former presidents could have on the political process.
Jude Celestin, backed by the incumbent government, was also dropped from the runoff race as a result of international pressure. Martelly even went as far as to campaign in Miami in the United States of America, which is home to a large number of Haitian expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
s.
On 17 February, Wyclef Jean announced his support for Martelly in the second round of the presidential election. Wyclef Jean was also shot at and grazed by a bullet the day before the second round vote during campaigning for Martelly. He was wounded and taken to a hospital.
International factor
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Haiti during the campaign for second round voting to meet the incumbent president and presidential candidates.
U.S. President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
pressured the government of South Africa
Government of South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a constitutional democracy with a three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating in a nearly unique system that combines aspects of parliamentary and presidential systems. Legislative authority is held by the Parliament of South Africa...
to delay former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide's attempt to return to Haiti, however, the request which was rejected by Aristide himself.
Polls
2 October 2010:- Mirlande Manigat (Rally of Progressive National DemocratsRally of Progressive National DemocratsThe Rally of Progressive National Democrats is a political party in Haiti. In the presidential elections of 7 February 2006, its candidate Leslie Manigat won 12.4 % of the popular vote. The party won in the 7 February 2006 Senate elections 10.7 % of the popular vote and only 1 out of 30 Senators...
): 23.0% - Charles-Henri Baker (RespectRespect (Haiti)Respect is a political party in Haiti.-2006 Haitian Presidential Election:In the presidential elections of 7 February 2006, its candidate Charles Henri Baker won 8,24 % of the popular vote....
): 17.3% - Jude Célestin (Unity: 7.8%
14 November 2010:
- Charles-Henri Baker (RespectRespect (Haiti)Respect is a political party in Haiti.-2006 Haitian Presidential Election:In the presidential elections of 7 February 2006, its candidate Charles Henri Baker won 8,24 % of the popular vote....
): 24.38% - Mirlande Manigat (Rally of Progressive National DemocratsRally of Progressive National DemocratsThe Rally of Progressive National Democrats is a political party in Haiti. In the presidential elections of 7 February 2006, its candidate Leslie Manigat won 12.4 % of the popular vote. The party won in the 7 February 2006 Senate elections 10.7 % of the popular vote and only 1 out of 30 Senators...
): 17.58% - Jeune Léon (Rally for Economic Liberation): 14.51%
- Michel Martelly (Farmers' Response): 14.10%
6–10 February 2011 (runoff):
- Michel Martelly (Farmers' Response): 60.3%
- Mirlande Manigat (Rally of Progressive National DemocratsRally of Progressive National DemocratsThe Rally of Progressive National Democrats is a political party in Haiti. In the presidential elections of 7 February 2006, its candidate Leslie Manigat won 12.4 % of the popular vote. The party won in the 7 February 2006 Senate elections 10.7 % of the popular vote and only 1 out of 30 Senators...
): 38.9%
Election
Ten of the thirty senators were to be elected, as well as all 99 deputies.During the first round of voting, two people were killed in a firefight between rival parties' supporters in Aquin
Aquin
Aquin is a municipality in the Aquin Arrondissement, in the Sud Department of Haiti. It is a port on the south coast of the Tiburon Peninsula. It had 95,004 inhabitants in 2003, up from 1,799 in 1950....
, with several injured in violence across the country.
During voting for the second round some polling stations failed to open on time as they lacked the necessary equipment and documents.
In a January 2011 report the Center for Economic and Policy Research
Center for Economic and Policy Research
The Center for Economic and Policy Research is a progressive economic policy think-tank based in Washington, DC, founded in 1999. CEPR works on Social Security, the US housing bubble, developing country economies , and gaps in the social policy fabric of the US economy.According to its own...
concluded that 71.5% of the eligible Haitian population did not vote during the first round of the election on November 28th 2010. Furthermore, from the remaining votes 8.1% were considered to be invalid, leaving only 20.1% of the votes being cast on one of the candidates in the election.
The result for the first round presidential poll was announced on 3 February, 2011, with the run-off set for 20 March between Manigat and Martelly.
Fraud allegations
Despite the Provisional Election Council sanctioning the election, protests continued the next day. Almost two-thirds of the candidates also called for the election to be annulled alleging fraud and many voters being refused ballots. Despite this, international election monitors declared the polls valid and said the results should not be invalidated. This opinion was not shared by the OASOrganization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
and the CARICOM
Caribbean Community
The Caribbean Community is an organisation of 15 Caribbean nations and dependencies. CARICOM's main purposes are to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, to ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and to coordinate foreign policy...
who, after a preliminary report, said that there many problems surrounding the election. Following further protests by several candidates, the UN called for calm and urged candidates to call on their supporters not to instigate trouble. It also said that a deteriorating security situation could undermine containment of the cholera epidemic. CBC News
CBC News
CBC News is the department within the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on CBC television, radio and online services...
reporters also alleged that there was "massive fraud," though they did no clarify what they meant. Protests continued in Port-au-Prince and Gonaives, with barricades in the streets. Port-au-Prince had four consecutive days of protests.
Reactions
Following Martelly's win in the run-off, Greg Grandin of New York UniversityNew York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
called Martelly a "friend of coup-plotters, fascists, and armed right-wing groups in his country and abroad."
External links
- Haiti's 2010 Presidential Election Results Graphic from Haiti's Fatally Flawed Election by Jake Johnston and Mark Weisbrot. pdf file.
- The Entire Debate Between Martelly And Manigat - Live In Video, Haiti Observer, March 10, 2011
- The Organization of American States in Haiti: Election Monitoring or Political Intervention?, from the Center for Economic and Policy ResearchCenter for Economic and Policy ResearchThe Center for Economic and Policy Research is a progressive economic policy think-tank based in Washington, DC, founded in 1999. CEPR works on Social Security, the US housing bubble, developing country economies , and gaps in the social policy fabric of the US economy.According to its own...
, October 2011