Port-au-Prince, Haiti – A record 280 political parties had registered by Thursday’s deadline to participate in Haiti’s first general election in a decade, according to the country’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP). While not all parties are expected to make the final cut, the registrations signal broad interest among Haitians eager for political change.
Newcomers Enter the Political Arena
The Collective of Haitian Actors for Development and Alternative Organization (CAHDOA), founded just a year ago, marked its registration with a celebratory march and a marching band outside the CEP headquarters. Vuvuzelas blared as members clapped and chanted, “We are on board!”
Abel Decollines, a party member, emphasized the importance of security for a credible election.
“The people in charge need to provide security so campaigning can take place and people can choose who will govern them,” he said.
Another notable entrant, the EDE party, Committed to Development, was founded by Claude Joseph, Haiti’s prime minister when President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in July 2021. Joseph and his supporters, dressed in green and white, marched solemnly to the CEP headquarters.
Joseph wrote on X that his party seeks to end Haiti’s longstanding political hegemony, which he described as “characterized by the failure of eternal political transitions.”
Challenges Ahead
Haiti is currently governed by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, following the resignation of a transitional presidential council in early February. Originally, the government had projected elections for late August, with a runoff in early December, though Fils-Aimé has since indicated the first round could be held by the end of the year.
Security concerns remain a major challenge. According to U.N. statistics, more than 5,900 people were killed and over 2,700 injured in gang-related violence last year. Armed groups control an estimated 90% of Port-au-Prince, displacing a record 1.4 million people in a country of nearly 12 million.
Dalouce Désir, a member of the EDE party, said,
“We believe the transition has lasted too long in the country. We believe in elections, and we believe in democracy.”
Final List Pending
The CEP is expected to release the final list of authorized political parties by March 26, though it has not yet clarified the criteria for approval.
