| 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. |
