Country sets election dates after 3 year delay

onnaedo

March 13, 2015 6:51 PM

Elections for two-thirds of the senate and the chamber of deputies will be on 9th August, while the presidential and municipal vote will follow on 9th October.

Come 9th August and 25th October, the people of Haiti will hit the polling booth to decide on a leader, this is according to BBC.

Incumbent president, Michel Martelly is barred from running again by the constitution even as the opposition has accused him of abusing his powers in order to rule by presidential decree.

The country has previously set dates for elections which have been repeatedly delayed, causing months of protest.

Parliament was dissolved in January over its failure to hold elections, leaving Haiti without a functioning government. Mid-term Senate elections had been due in May 2012, while the municipal poll is three years behind schedule.

The delay had been caused by a stand-off between the president and some opposition senators over an electoral law which would make the vote possible.

Meanwhile, sreet protests calling for Martelly's resignation over the delayed vote have intensified with demonstrators angry by high petrol prices.

onnaedo