Haiti's provisional electoral council, unilaterally appointed by the much criticized President Jovenel Moïse, announced Thursday the holding, by the end of the year, of a constitutional referendum and of presidential, legislative and local polls while the insecurity linked to gangs is plaguing the country.
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The referendum is to be held on April 25.
The presidential and legislative elections should follow in a first round on September 19 and a second on November 21, the day on which the local elections will also take place.
These elections not having taken place in 2018 as initially planned, Jovenel Moïse today finds himself without checks and balances since the end of the mandate of parliamentarians in January 2020, and has since governed by decree.
The urgency of organizing the renewal of political personnel is real, but crime and the seizure of armed gangs in many areas across the capital Port-au-Prince and the province constitute as many threats to the proper holding of elections.
Since the fall, Haiti has recorded an upsurge in kidnappings for ransom, which indiscriminately affect the richest inhabitants and the majority living below the poverty line.
In addition, the advisory committee appointed by Jovenel Moïse to develop a draft new constitution has not yet finalized its work but is already strongly criticized even in the political camp of the Head of State.
This procedure does not seem to respect the provisions of the current Constitution, which provides that "
any popular consultation aimed at modifying the Constitution by way of referendum is formally prohibited
".
The opposition has already announced a series of demonstrations at the end of January, ensuring that, according to its interpretation of the constitution, the mandate of Jovenel Moïse ends on February 7, 2021 and not on February 7, 2022 as defended by the presidential clan.
