Michel Martelly met with opposition leaders seeking political stability

Updated March 21, 2015 9:59 AM

On Wednesday, December 17, 2014, the Haitian President Michel Martelly met opposition leaders in a bid to end a stalemate over the delayed legislative elections. The meeting was about the responses to the recommendations of an independent commission established by the President established to end the deadlocks over delayed elections. Among other recommendations by the committee, the former Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe has already resigned on December 14, 2014, in the wake of widespread anti-government protests in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

As the term of the current Senate expires on January 12, Haiti may face an uncertain political future. Both the President and former Prime Minister Lamothe had blamed some legislators (Group of six) for blocking a vote that could lead to approve a much needed electoral law. Instead of approving the legislation, they are blocking it and at the same time orchestrating a series of large protests in the capital, calling for the president to resign for the delaying legislative elections. They are of opinion that the presidential draft of the Electoral Law was adopted without any respect for the Constitution or the legislative process.

After the meeting Martelly has talked to the press and said he was satisfied with the outcome of the meeting. The opposition leaders have also said that they have discussed on the implementation procedures of the ecommendations, including renewal of the membership of the electoral council, and freeing of several people whom they consider political prisoners. The Senate President Simon Desras has said that "in a complex and politically turbulent moment in Haiti, we need a new government as soon as possible." Rosemond Pradel, the general secretary of the opposition Fusion party has said that Martelly administration must satisfy the recommendations.

On Sunday, December 21, Florence Duperval Guillaume, the Haitian Minister of Health has been appointed as the interim Prime Minister following the resignation of her predecessor Laurent Lamothe, one week ago. She will hold the office for a maximum of 30 days, as per the constitution, till the President name a cabinet member as a permanent choice in place of Lamothe and that is cleared by the parliament with necessary approval.

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Michel Martelly met with opposition leaders seeking political stability

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