Presidential elections should be an opportunity for ordinary citizens to have a say in the future of their country. The period before an election is a time for citizens to hear what presidential candidates have planned for their country and to decide which of them represents his or her best interests. In Haiti, presidential elections represent for some a chance to run for office and therefore the opportunity to get a secure job; yet, for many Haitians the elections represent nothing, because they feel that nothing will change. In fact, Haitians participating in the first voting round of the parliamentary elections comprise only 18 percent of the registered voters while 54 candidates ran for President. This article aims to explain such low political participation and analyzes the reasons why Haitians have little trust in the democratic process.
In order to ensure fair and transparent democratic elections, the United States and the international community provided over 30 million USD to the Conseil Electoral Provisoire (CEP) for the 2015 elections.[3] However, there were two main obstacles that may have prevented legitimate electoral outcome. First, Haitians were often paid to participate in rallies or to vote. Therefore, election results may not be dictated by Haitians’ desire to witness a change in their country, but rather by their need for money to stave off hunger. Second, according to a report published on August 25 by the three civil society groups Reseau National de Defense de Droits Humain (RNDDH), the Conseil National d’Obesrvation des Elections (CNO), and the Conseil Haitien des Acteurs Non Etatiques (CONHANE), the elections and the pre-election period have been plagued by killings, intimidation, and violence. [4]
Overall, Haitians have seen that even though the international community has provided money and deployed troops in order to support Haiti’s economic, political stability, and development, these efforts have not always translated into positive results. This has resulted in a lack of trust in Haitian leaders and the international community, which has consequentially discouraged Haitians from engaging in the democratic process. Therefore, in order to better grasp what drives Haitians away from a robust political life, it is also important to understand Haiti’s current status and its struggles towards authentic development.
Full Article: Haiti’s Elections: Low Turnout Reflects Lack Of Hope For Change – Analysis | Eurasia Review.
