Haiti postpones elections as political instability continues

Haiti has postponed its long-planned general elections indefinitely, as widespread gang violence, territorial blockades, and administrative hurdles continue to prevent the vote, authorities confirmed.

"Following consultations with political actors and in view of the adoption, in the Council of Ministers, on October 5, 2026, of the amendments made to the Electoral Decree of June 2, 2026, certain deadlines of the electoral process are being rescheduled," the Provisional Electoral Council said in a statement released Monday.

The council explained that the campaign period has been suspended and that new dates will be announced once it finalizes an updated framework with authorized political bodies. To accommodate political parties, the council extended the online candidate registration deadline and document submissions to Oct. 31, while urging eligible citizens to continue registering on ongoing voter rolls.

General elections were scheduled to take place on Dec. 13 to select a president alongside all members of the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies, departmental assemblies, and municipal administrations.

The country remains without any nationally elected officials, having held no general vote since 2016. Haiti was plunged into a deeper political vacuum following the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, while legislative terms progressively expired.

A transitional arrangement established in 2024 currently governs the Caribbean nation. The Transitional Presidential Council, formed after former Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned under gang pressure, leads the executive alongside appointed Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, who governs largely by decree.

The Transitional Presidential Council's mandate ended in February, leaving Fils-Aime and his Cabinet in charge of the interim period.

Heavily armed criminal groups control extensive sections of Port-au-Prince and outlying regions, displacing approximately 1.5 million people and severing transit corridors required to distribute voting materials.

A UN-backed Gang Suppression Force continues operations across the country to curb the violence and establish the security conditions necessary for eventual ballots.