Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has decided to modify the calendar of the upcoming national elections and postpone the first round of the presidential and legislative elections, which was set for December 13, 2026, until July 18, 2027, amid a context of security crisis and sociopolitical tension in the Caribbean country.
In a communiqué, the electoral body explained that the revision of the calendar responds to the entry into force of the new Electoral Decree of October 6, which updates provisions approved in June and July, and to a series of consultations with the security forces, political representatives, civil society organizations, the private sector, and the Haitian Executive itself.
Although the official note does not go into details about the specific causes of the delay, the CEP stresses that the objective of the new timetable is to "favor the continuity of electoral operations under conditions that allow the concerned actors to fulfill their obligations in accordance with what is provided in the legal framework". In addition, the body reiterates its commitment to conduct the process "with professionalism and rigor" to ensure elections that are "inclusive, credible and transparent".
According to the calendar released by the institution, July 18, 2027 will concentrate the first round of the legislative elections, the presidential election and the popular ratification process. The plan also contemplates a possible second round on October 4, 2027, which extends the political transition in a scenario dominated by the grave instability stemming from the violence of armed gangs and from the operations of the multinational force deployed in Haiti.