The 2015 Haitian presidential election took place 11 years ago

Eleven years ago, on October 25, 2015, Haitian voters went to the polls for the first round of the presidential election, which was held on the same day as the second round of legislative elections. This vote did not result in an elected president.

The Succession of Martelly

The Constitution prevented outgoing President Michel Martelly from running for a new term. He was sworn in on May 14, 2011, more than three months after the constitutional deadline, and embodied Haiti's first political alternation and promised reforms, including reconstruction after the earthquake. On July 25, 2011, he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. His term ended on February 7, 2016. A week later, the National Assembly elected Jocelerme Privert to serve as provisional president.

A Second Round Continuously Postponed

Originally scheduled for December 27, 2015, the second round was indefinitely postponed on December 21 by the Provisional Electoral Council amid contestation of the first round results. Set for January 6, 2016, it was again postponed on January 22 and then rescheduled for April 24, 2016 before another postponement. On March 30, 2016, a new Provisional Electoral Commission was appointed; its president, Léopold Berlanger, soon acknowledged that the deadline would likely not be met.

The Cancellation

On May 31, 2016, the commission recommended restarting the first round. On June 6, 2016, the head of the Provisional Electoral Council officially canceled the election due to irregularities. A new vote took place in November 2016.