Haiti’s legislators debate to extend Privert’s term

Haiti’s Lower Chamber of Deputies and senators are debating on whether to extend the term of interim President Jocelerme Privert.

Chamber President Cholzer Chancy, acting as head of the National Assembly, demanded that deputies and senators return to parliament Tuesday for a vote on whether Privert should stay until the country’s interrupted elections are completed early next year, or be removed from office.

Privert’s mandate expires Tuesday.

The June 14 deadline was set in a February 5 political accord after Haiti failed to elect a successor to Michel Martelly amid voter fraud allegations in the country’s legislative and presidential elections last year.

Last week the country’s Provisional Electoral Council published a new elections calendar, including a re-run presidential first round set for October 9.

The ruling of the lower Chamber of deputies could potentially pit the country into a political crisis. If the deputies and senators elect not to extend Privert’s administration, the interim president would have to resign and a new care taker administration named to lead the country until the conclusion of the presidential elections.