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HAITI
Sénat (Senate)

This page contains the full text of the PARLINE database entry on the selected parliamentary chamber, with the exception of Specialized bodies modules which, because of their excessive length, can be only viewed and printed separately.

Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name (generic / translated) Assemblée nationale / National Assembly
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Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Sénat / Senate
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Chambre des Députés / Chamber of Deputies
Affiliation to the IPU Yes
Affiliation date(s) 1954 - 1960
1975 - 1986
2012 -
LEADERSHIP
President Joseph Lambert (M) 
Notes Elected on 9 Jan. 2018.
Secretary General Jean Rony Gilot (M) 
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 30 / 28
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


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Women (current number) 1 (3.57%)
Mode of designation directly elected 30
Term 6 years; one-third of the membership is renewed every 2 years
Last renewal dates 20 November 2016
29 January 2017 (View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address Sénat de la République
Palais Législatif
Avenue Marie Jeanne,
Bicentenaire
PORT AU PRINCE
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (509) 28 13 17 29
38 77 77 36
Fax
E-mail erlpi@yahoo.com
jeannenuma@gmail.com
gilotrony@yahoo.fr
Website
http://www.leparlementhaitien.info/

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

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
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 2 March 2015
Last modification: 13 March 2015
Mode of designation directly elected 30
Constituencies 10 multi-member constituencies (each with three seats) corresponding to the country's departments.
Voting system Majority: Majority system with a possible second round.
To win a seat in the first round, candidates must obtain 50 per cent of the valid votes or have a lead equal to or greater than twenty-five per cent of the valid votes over the candidate with the second-highest number of votes. If no candidate satisfies these conditions in the first round, a second round is held. An absolute majority is no longer required for that round.

Each elector votes for three Senators in the constituency.
For partial renewal of the Senate (one third every two years), each elector votes for one Senator in their constituency.

Vacancies arising between general elections are filled through by-elections, unless those vacancies occur during or following the last ordinary session of the legislature.
Voting is not compulsory.
Voter requirements - age: 18 at the time of registration
- Haitian citizenship
- full political and civil rights
- disqualifications: imprisonment, insanity/mental illness, conviction of a criminal offence, persons under guardianship/wards, holders of temporary entry permits, undocumented immigrants
CANDIDATES
Eligibility - qualified electors
- age: 30 at the time of registration
- Haitian citizenship by birth
- full possession of civil and political rights
- residence in the constituency concerned for at least two consecutive years
- ownership of real property or employment/trade in the constituency
- ineligibility: imprisonment, insanity/mental illness, conviction of a criminal offence, persons under guardianship/wards, holders of temporary entry permits, undocumented immigrants, executives and members of the Electoral Commission
Incompatibilities - managers of public funds, who may stand for election but are relieved of their duties if elected
- government contractors
- representatives or agents of individuals, companies or corporations that are government contractors
- delegates, deputy-delegates, judges and ministry officials who did not resign at least six months before the elections
- members of the executive branch and directors general of public administration bodies who did not resign at least one year before the elections
Candidacy requirements - monetary deposit of 5,000 gourdes
- one half of the deposit is reimbursed for political parties winning at least 2 per cent of the valid votes nationwide

LAST ELECTIONS

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)20 November 2016
29 January 2017
Timing and scope of renewal The Haitian Tet Kale Party (PHTK), close to former President Michel Martelly, and its allies secured the majority of the 10 seats at stake in the one-third renewal of the Senate. Prior to the 2016 elections, these parties formed a parliamentary group called Parliamentary Alliance for Haiti (APH, see note 1), which now has a majority in both chambers of parliament.

The 2016-2017 elections were held in parallel with the remaining run-offs from the 2015 parliamentary elections and fresh presidential elections (see note 2). Mr. Jovenel Moïse (PHTK, supported by the APH) was elected President and was sworn in on 7 February, thereby ending a year-long presidential transition. During the election campaign, the major parties focused on socio-economic issues, promising job creation, poverty reduction, education for all, access to health and energy reform.

Note 1:
The APH, led by the Questor of the Chamber of Deputies, Mr. Gary Bodeau, initially included PHTK, Kid, Bouclier, KONA, AAA and Consortium. After the election of Mr. Moïse as President, the APH controls over 60 seats in the 119-member Chamber of Deputies and nearly 20 seats in the 30-member Senate.

Note 2:
In 2015, the second round of parliamentary elections was held in parallel with the first round of the presidential elections. The announcement of the first round of presidential results triggered violent protests and the second-round presidential elections, scheduled for 27 December, were subsequently postponed indefinitely. On 5 February 2016, outgoing President Michel Martelly and the presiding officers of both chambers of parliament signed an agreement to end the political crisis. On 14 February, parliament elected Senate President Jocelerme Privert as interim President of the Republic. The second round of presidential elections was initially announced for 17 April. However, the electoral verification commission published a report concluding that the 2015 electoral process had been “marred by serious irregularities” and recommended fresh presidential elections.

On 6 June, the Provisional Electoral Council announced that the first round of the fresh presidential elections, the regular renewal of one-third of the Senate and the remaining run-off elections from the 2015 parliamentary elections would be held on 9 October 2016, with run-off presidential and senatorial elections on 8 January 2017. Following the passage of Hurricane Matthew on 5 October, which killed more than 370 people, the electoral council postponed the elections to 20 November.
Date of previous elections: 9 August & 25 October 2015

Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: N/A

Timing of election: Upon normal expiry

Number of seats at stake: 10 (partial renewal)

Number of candidates: 149 (136 men, 13 women)

Percentage of women candidates: 8.7%

Number of parties contesting the election: 70

Number of parties winning seats: 5

Alternation of power: not applicable

There was an interim government before the 2016 elections.

Date of the first session of the new parliament: 10 January 2017

Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Youri Latortue (Atibonite An Aksyon, AAA)
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Round no 1 (from/to)20 November 2016
29 January 2017
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes



Notes
Distribution of votes
Round no 1
Political group Candidates Votes % of votes
Haitian Tet Kale Party (PHTK)
Truth (Vérité)
Konvansyon Inite Demokratik (KID)
Bouclier
Ayiti an aksyon (AAA)
Union of Haitian Patriots (RPH)
Consortium
Fanmi Lavalas
Pou nou tout (PONT)
Patriotic Unity Party (Inite Patriyotik)
Pitit Dessalines
People's Struggle Party (OPL)
Dessalines League (LIDE)
Independents
Konbit Nasyonal (KONA)
Distribution of seats
Round no 1
Political Group Total of seats Seats 2016 - 2017
Haitian Tet Kale Party (PHTK) 9 4
Truth (Vérité) 3 0
Konvansyon Inite Demokratik (KID) 2 0
Bouclier 2 1
Ayiti an aksyon (AAA) 2 1
Union of Haitian Patriots (RPH) 1 1
Consortium 1 1
Fanmi Lavalas 1 0
Pou nou tout (PONT) 1 0
Patriotic Unity Party (Inite Patriyotik) 1 0
Pitit Dessalines 1 0
People's Struggle Party (OPL) 1 0
Dessalines League (LIDE) 1 0
Independents 1 0
Konbit Nasyonal (KONA) 1 0
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
27

1

3.57%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Sources:
Senate (11.01.2017, 31.03.2017)
IPU Group (23.03.2017)
https://www.cephaiti.ht/
http://www.bbc.com/
http://www.haitilibre.com
http://metropolehaiti.com
http://www.alterpresse.org/

Note on the 2016 elections:
Elections for one third of the Senate (10 seats) were held in 2016. At the same time, delayed run-offs for the 2015 elections took place, at which six seats were contested.
Six senators, including one woman who won in the 2015 run-offs, were sworn in on 10 January 2017.

As at 31 March 2017, there were 28 senators, including one woman; the two senatorial seats below are still unfilled:
- one seat for the senator who was elected in 2015 but is yet to be sworn in; and
- another seat among the 10 subject to the one-third renewal in 2016-2017, pending the announcement of the final results.

PRESIDENCY OF THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

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
APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE
Title President of the Senate
Term - duration: 1 year (can be re-elected)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution
Appointment - elected by all the Senators at the first sitting of the ordinary session following the partial renewal (1/3) of the Senate
- following validation of mandates
- after Senators are sworn in
Eligibility - any Senator can be a candidate
Voting system - formal vote by secret ballot
- absolute majority in the first round, relative majority in the second round, in the event of a tie in the second round : the oldest Senator is elected
Procedures / results - the eldest Senator presides over the Senate during the voting
- the eldest Senator announces the results without any delay
- the results cannot be challenged
STATUS
Status - in the absence of the President, the Vice President can assume his/her role and functions
Board - consists of the President, a Vice President, a Queastor and two Secretaries
- should be composed in such a way to reflect the political composition of the Senate
Material facilities NA (no information received)
FUNCTIONS
Organization of parliamentary business - presides over the Conference of Presidents which, in liaison with the Government, prepares the programme and the timetable of work
- convenes sessions within the framework of the Conference of the Presidents
- establishes and modifies the agenda within the framework of the Conference of Presidents
Chairing of public sittings - ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak, in connection with the organisation of the debates laid down by the Conference of Presidents
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up and selects which amendments are to be debated
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Assembly
The Board is responsible with regard to :
* the regulation of the proceedings of the Senate
Special powers - sign the annual budget (jointly with the Queastor)
- sign (jointly with the Queastor) appointments and dismissals of members of the administrative staff
- the Board is responsible with regards to :
* the organisation, the running and the supervising of the department and administration staff at the Senate
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Senate
Speaking and voting rights, other functions - takes part in voting, only in the event of a tie

This page was last updated on 10 January 2018
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