As the first round of the general elections is set for August 30, 2026, three hundred and twenty political parties have registered with the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), despite a deteriorating security context that casts doubt on the holding of the election.
The President of the CEP, Jacques Desrosiers, confirmed on Thursday the close of the political party registration period, with a total of three hundred and twenty organizations registered to participate in the elections, the first round of which is scheduled for August 30, 2026. This figure, a sharp increase compared to the 219 parties counted the day before the deadline, demonstrates sustained mobilization among Haitian political actors.
On Thursday, March 12, 2026, the final day of the process, numerous organizations rushed to submit their files. Among them are heavyweights of the national political scene, including Les Engagés pour le Développement (EDE), the party of former Prime Minister Claude Joseph, and the Collectif des Acteurs Haïtiens pour le Développement et l’Organisation Alternative (CAHDOA), led by former deputy Abel Descollines.
The parties’ eagerness to register responds to an apparent consensus: to organize the elections this year to end the transition and restore constitutional order.
Because the security context, marked by gang violence and chronic insecurity, has not changed the mobilization, but it fuels doubts about the CEP’s ability to meet its schedule. Nevertheless, the Council continues its preparations: updating voting centers, recruiting electoral registry agents, and training staff. The final list of approved parties will be published on March 26, after reviewing the files.
The electoral calendar then provides for voter registration from April 1 to June 29, running concurrently with the filing of candidacies from April 13 to May 15. The first round of the legislative and presidential elections is set for August 30, with the process concluding on January 20, 2027, with the election of a new president and a new Parliament.
However, when asked about the reliability of these deadlines, Jacques Desrosiers did not guarantee they would be met—a reservation that speaks volumes about the challenges ahead. The security obstacle remains the main source of concern: without conducive conditions—security at polling stations, freedom of movement, protection for candidates and voters—holding the election remains hypothetical.
Furthermore, according to information reported by Le Nouvelliste, several influential signatories of the National Pact for Stability and the Organization of Elections are reportedly demanding changes within the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP). Members of the institution are deemed too close to certain political actors, which would compromise their impartiality.
Discussions are ongoing between signatories of the Pact and the Prime Minister’s Office regarding an evaluation of the CEP, sources indicated. The criticisms are based on Article 17 of the document, which provides for strengthening the electoral process by establishing a “professional and modern administration compliant with international standards.”
Some political leaders are calling for technical and logistical reinforcement of law enforcement to secure the process. But while the CEP advances on the administrative front, the security question remains unanswered. No extension will be granted to parties that missed the deadline, the Council’s president warned. The question remains whether the State will manage to create the conditions for a credible and peaceful election by August, or if, as in the past, the electoral calendar will be overtaken by realities on the ground.
