Haiti leader says elections can be held this year even as gangs continue their rampage

PORT-AU-PRINCE — The head of Haiti’s embattled presidential council says he believes that both a reform of the country’s constitution and general elections to put a legitimate government back in charge can take place before the end of the year.

Haiti last held elections in 2016, and hasn’t had an elected president since the July 2021 assassination of Jovenel Moïse. Leslie Voltaire, the head of the Transitional Presidential Council, is envisioning a vote to restore democracy to Haiti with elections for a president, parliament and local mayors on November 15.

Voltaire made the declaration during interviews Wednesday with TV Monde 5 and France 24/Radio France Internationale while on a European tour, during which he met President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and Pope Francis at the Vatican. Voltaire said he hopes to have a constitutional referendum voted on by April, and envisions the first round of general elections around November 15. Runoffs, he said, would take place around mid-January of 2026 “so that finally on February 7 there could be a legitimate government.”