2010–11 Haitian general election

Haitian presidential election, 2010

28 November

Party Viv Ansanm

Incumbent President René Préval

The Haitian general election, which was originally intended to be held in Haiti on 28 February 2010, was later postponed to 28 November. Ten senators and 99 deputies were to be elected. Presidential elections will also be held, with a run-off scheduled for 16 January should no candidate receive 50 percent of the votes cast.

Background

Due to the January 2010 earthquake, the election was originally been indefinitely postponed; although November 28 was then decided as the date to hold the Presidential and legislative elections. Following the earthquake, there were concerns of instability in the country, and the election comes 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.

Candidates

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the candidates on offer is the remarkable and continued absence of the only political party with genuine popular support in Haiti, Fanmi Lavalas. Renowned author Peter Hallward explains: "The final FL list of candidates was endorsed by the party leader (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.". It is legitimate to ask what democracy means when the people's choice is systematically banned from the elections.

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.

Wyclef Jean

In July, musician Wyclef Jean said he had initiated legal steps toward running for president. Though he left 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 predict 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 the 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 Baker, a prominent businessman in the apparel industry. Charles Henri Baker is running under the Respè Party.
• Jacques-Édouard Alexis, a two-time former prime minister who was forced to resign in the aftermath of food riots in 2008.
• Jude Celestin, founder and executive director of the government's road-building outfit, the National Center of Equipment, and member of President René Préval's Unity 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 Jeune, development agent, civil engineer and evangelist who came in 3rd place in 2006 election.
• Raymond Joseph, former ambassador to the United States and Wyclef Jean's uncle.
• Mirlande Manigat, a longtime opposition leader, professor, and former first lady.
• Michel Martelly, a compas musician and entertainer whose lyrics have poked fun at the concept of the Haitian presidency.
• Yvon Neptune, 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, Jean Henry Ceant, 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

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 seen as blamed on the United Nations. 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 February 7 mandate, President René Préval issued decrees ordering the country's nine-member provisional electoral council to organise the elections. However he still did not address calls for the council itself to be replaced before a vote is held.

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 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.

Polls

2 October 2010:

• Mirlande Manigat (Rally of Progressive National Democrats): 23.0%
• Charles-Henri Baker (Respect): 17.3%
• Jude Célestin (Lespwa/INITE): 7.8%

14 November 2010:

• Charles-Henri Baker (Respect): 24.38%
• Mirlande Manigat (Rally of Progressive National Democrats): 17.58%
• Jeune Léon (Konbit Liberation Ekonomik): 14.51%
• Michel Martelly (Repons Peyisan): 14.10%

Election

Ten of the thirty senators will be elected, as well as all but one of the 99 deputies; the other will be elected at a later date.

On election day, two people were killed in a firefight between rival parties' supporters in Aquin, with several injured in violence across the country.

Reactions

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 have declared the polls valid, and have said that the results should not be invalidated. Following 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.