| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Assemblée nationale / National Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Sénat / Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Chambre des Députés / Chamber of Deputies
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) (from/to) | 19 April 2009
21 June 2009 |
| Timing and scope of renewal |
Elections were held for 12 of the Senate seats. |
On 7 January 2009, President René Préval issued a decree setting the date for partial elections to the Senate for 19 April. The renewal of ten Senate seats elected in February 2006 for a two-year term was constitutionally due by April 2008, but had been delayed for various reasons. By-elections to two other vacant seats were jointly held with the 2009 elections.
In the previous elections held in February and April 2006 in parallel with the presidential elections, the Front for Hope (Lespwa), took 11 of the 30 seats in the Senate. Lespwa leader, Mr. René Préval, won the presidential elections. The party had been created by former members of the Lavalas Family Party, which itself had been established by former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide, ousted in February 2004. In the 2006 elections, the Lavalas Family Party took three seats, while the Haitian Social-Democratic Fusion Party won five and the People's Struggle Party (OPL) four seats. The remainder went to small parties.
Upon assuming office as President in May 2006, Mr. Préval nominated Mr. Jacques Édouard Alexis as Prime Minister. His nomination was unanimously approved by both chambers. However, many Lespwa members and President Préval's allies subsequently formed the Coalition of Parliamentarians for Progress (CPP), as they gradually became disenchanted with the government's economic policies.
In February 2008, Prime Minister Alexis survived the first move to oust him by the CPP. Two months later, violent street protests over food prices broke out, killing five people. CPP members in the Senate criticized the government's handling of the crisis as being "too little too late" and demanded that the Prime Minister resign within two days. On 12 April, the Senate voted to dismiss the Prime Minister. Two candidates for the premiership - Mr. Éricq Pierre and Mr. Robert Manuel - were rejected by the CPP in the Chamber of Deputies. Due to the political stalemate, the Senate elections could not take place.
The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate endorsed Ms. Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis as Prime Minister on 29 August and 8 September respectively. In the same months, the country of 9.8 million inhabitants was hit by a series of hurricanes that killed nearly 800 people and caused damage amounting to 15 per cent of the gross national product (GNP). The post-hurricane confusion further delayed the Senate elections.
In the meantime, Canada, the European Union and the United States agreed to pay for a large part of the election-related costs: US$ 12.5 of the total US$ 16 million. The elections were subsequently called for April 2009.
The 2009 elections were marked by controversy over the rejection of candidates from the Lavalas Family Party. On 6 February 2009, the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), Haiti's election commission, barred all 17 candidates of the Lavalas Family Party from the Senate race for failing to submit an accompanying letter signed by the party leader, Mr. Aristide (who now lives in South Africa). On 2 March, many supporters of the Lavalas Family Party participated in a demonstration calling for Mr. Aristide's return and the participation of the party in the Senate elections. Despite a local court order and pressure from the United Nations and President Préval, the CEP refused to overturn its decision.
In the end, 78 candidates from 32 parties were allowed to take part in the Senate race. They include the Lespwa, the OPL, the Christian Movement for a New Haiti (MOCHRENA), the Haitian Social-Democratic Fusion Party, and the Rally of Progressive National Democrats (RDNP).
President Préval called on voters to give his Lespwa party a majority in the Senate. Earlier, the President had hinted at his intention to amend the 1987 Constitution to increase the powers of the executive and allow the president to seek two consecutive terms.
The Lavalas Family Party called for a boycott of the election under its "Operation Closed Door" campaign. Prime Minister Pierre-Louis criticized the call for a boycott.
Turnout in the first round was reportedly very low, at around 11 per cent of the 4.5 million registered voters. A large number of eligible voters reportedly had not received their national identification card.
Although several sporadic incidents of violence and intimidation were reported, the elections went relatively smoothly for the most part. However, in the Central Department, one election commission officer was shot and wounded and a number of ballot boxes were destroyed. The CEP invalidated the elections in several constituencies of that Department.
On 28 April, the CEP announced that no candidates had secured a majority to be elected in the first round and that run-off elections would take place on 7 June. The run-off elections were subsequently postponed to 21 June.
The Lavalas Family Party continued to call for a boycott in the second round. No official turnout figures for the second round was announced but turnout was expected to be lower than the first round.
The final results gave six seats to the Lespwa party. Four other parties took one seat each and one independent candidate was elected. The results in the Central Department were invalidated, leaving one vacant seat. No women were elected. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 2 | 21 June 2009 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 2
|
| Political group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% of votes |
|
|
| Front for Hope (Lespwa) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Haiti Acts (Ayiti an Aksyon, AAA) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Haitian Social-Democratic Fusion Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Cooperative Action to Build Haiti (KONBA) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| People's Struggle Party (OPL) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Independents |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 2
|
| Political Group |
Total of seats
|
|
|
|
|
| Front for Hope (Lespwa) |
6
|
|
|
|
|
| Haiti Acts (Ayiti an Aksyon, AAA) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Haitian Social-Democratic Fusion Party |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Cooperative Action to Build Haiti (KONBA) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| People's Struggle Party (OPL) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Independents |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
11
0
0.00%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
|
| Comments |
No candidate was elected at the first round. There is one vacant seat.
Sources:
- Senate (25.07.2009)
- Conseil électoral provisoire (22.07.2009)
- http://www.cep-ht.org/ |
|
