2025-12-12

Haitian electoral cycles traditionally feature dramatic candidate announcement events with political parties staging rallies and press conferences to launch candidacies. The 2015-2016 electoral cycle saw multiple rounds of candidate registration followed by boycotts and annulments creating precedent for opposition parties withdrawing participation to delegitimize results. The current transition context where the CPT and CEP were imposed through Friday, December 12, 2025, 7:00 PM Haiti Time international mediation rather than emerging from national consensus creates additional boycott risk. Major opposition figures including former presidents and prominent senators have not publicly committed to participating in the 2026 elections. The registration period timing during December when many diaspora political actors travel to Haiti would typically see increased announcement activity making the current silence more notable. IMPLICATIONS BY STAKEHOLDER International Organizations