HAITI: parliamentary elections Sénat, 1990

HAITI
Parliamentary Chamber: Sénat

ELECTIONS HELD IN 1990

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Chamber:

Sénat

Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

16 December 1990
20 January 1991

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held for all the seats in the new Parliament provided for in the 1987 Constitution.

Background and outcome of elections:

Following the previous (February 1984) parliamentary elections, President of the Republic Jean-Claude Duvalier, amid widespread public protests, fled to exile in France in February 1986. The National Assembly was dissolved, the Constitution suspended and a military-civilian regime assumed power. A new Constitution providing for an elected bicameral legislature was approved by referendum in March 1987. Controversial, largely boycotted elections took place in January 1988 for this Parliament, which was in turn dissolved the following June in a military coup d’Etat.
The 1990 general elections were originally set for September and, later, November. They were held concurrently with polling for President and local councils. The electoral campaign lasted five weeks. Main contending parties were the National Front for Change and Democracy (FNCD), led by F. Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a Catholic priest; and the National Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ANDP), headed by Mr. Marc Bazin of the centre-right Mouvement pour l’instauration de la démocratie en Haïti. Fr. Aristide put the accent on the need for fundamental changes, especially to improve the lot of the nation’s poor; he also called particularly for educational and agrarian reforms. Mr. Bazin characterized himself as the unity candidate who could solve the country’s ills. Altogether 119 approved candidates contested the 27 Senate seats and 337 the 83 in the Chamber of Deputies.
Two rounds voting were scheduled, the latter (in January 1991) to fill seats remaining vacant under the electoral laws. Election-day proceedings were generally peaceful and witnessed by hundreds of foreign observers, including a United Nations group and former US President Jimmy Carter. According to final results announced on 26 January, the FNCD emerged victorious in both Chambers but failed to secure an overall parliamentary majority.
On 7 February 1991, Fr. Aristide - elected outright in the first round of voting - was inaugurated as President. Shortly thereafter he nominated Mr. René Préval as Prime Minister. The latter subsequently appointed the Cabinet, in consultation with the President*.
* On 30 September 1991, Father Aristide was deposed by military coup d’Etat.

STATISTICS

Round no 1: Elections results

Number of registered electors 3,227,115

Voters 1,640,729 (50.8%)

Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group Total

National Front for Change and Democracy (FNCD) 13

National Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ANDP) 6

Others 8

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for HAITI <<<

Chamber:
	Sénat
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	16 December 1990 20 January 1991
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in the new Parliament provided for in the 1987 Constitution.
Background and outcome of elections:
	Following the previous (February 1984) parliamentary elections, President of the Republic Jean-Claude Duvalier, amid widespread public protests, fled to exile in France in February 1986. The National Assembly was dissolved, the Constitution suspended and a military-civilian regime assumed power. A new Constitution providing for an elected bicameral legislature was approved by referendum in March 1987. Controversial, largely boycotted elections took place in January 1988 for this Parliament, which was in turn dissolved the following June in a military coup d’Etat. The 1990 general elections were originally set for September and, later, November. They were held concurrently with polling for President and local councils. The electoral campaign lasted five weeks. Main contending parties were the National Front for Change and Democracy (FNCD), led by F. Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a Catholic priest; and the National Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ANDP), headed by Mr. Marc Bazin of the centre-right Mouvement pour l’instauration de la démocratie en Haïti. Fr. Aristide put the accent on the need for fundamental changes, especially to improve the lot of the nation’s poor; he also called particularly for educational and agrarian reforms. Mr. Bazin characterized himself as the unity candidate who could solve the country’s ills. Altogether 119 approved candidates contested the 27 Senate seats and 337 the 83 in the Chamber of Deputies. Two rounds voting were scheduled, the latter (in January 1991) to fill seats remaining vacant under the electoral laws. Election-day proceedings were generally peaceful and witnessed by hundreds of foreign observers, including a United Nations group and former US President Jimmy Carter. According to final results announced on 26 January, the FNCD emerged victorious in both Chambers but failed to secure an overall parliamentary majority. On 7 February 1991, Fr. Aristide - elected outright in the first round of voting - was inaugurated as President. Shortly thereafter he nominated Mr. René Préval as Prime Minister. The latter subsequently appointed the Cabinet, in consultation with the President. On 30 September 1991, Father Aristide was deposed by military coup d’Etat.

Round no 1: Elections results
Number of registered electors	3,227,115
Voters	1,640,729 (50.8%)

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
National Front for Change and Democracy (FNCD)	13
National Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ANDP)	6
Others	8