President of Haiti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids President of the Republic of Haiti |
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| Head of state of the Republic of Haiti Executive branch of the Haitian Government |
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| Residence | Palais National |
| Seat | Port-au-Prince, Haiti |
| Term length | Five years
Renewable once non-consecutively
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| Precursor | Emperor of Haiti |
| Formation | 17 February 1807 |
| First holder | Jean Jacques Dessalines |
| Succession | Line of succession |
| Salary | 250,000 Gourdes per month |
| Website | La Présidence |
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The President of Haiti is the country's head of state. This important role is officially called the President of the Republic of Haiti. In Haiti, the power to run the country is shared. It is divided between the president and the government. The government is led by the Prime Minister of Haiti. Currently, a group called the Transitional Presidential Council is acting as president. They took on this role on April 25, 2024, and will serve until February 7, 2026.
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Choosing Haiti's President
The rules for becoming president are found in Haiti's 1987 Constitution of Haiti. This document explains who can run and how they are elected.
Presidential Term Length
The president is chosen by the people through a vote. They serve for a five-year period. A president cannot be elected for two terms in a row. They can serve a second term only after five years have passed. No one can be president for a third term.
Who Can Be President?
To become president, a person must meet several requirements:
- They must be born in Haiti and never give up their Haitian citizenship.
- They must be at least 35 years old on election day.
- They need to have full civil and political rights. This means they must not have been found guilty of serious crimes.
- They must own property and live in Haiti regularly.
- They must have lived in Haiti for at least five years before the election.
- If they managed public money before, they must show they handled it properly.
How Elections Work
Elections for president are usually held on the last Sunday in November. This happens in the fifth year of the current president's term. However, the exact election day can sometimes change. For example, this happened in the 2015 election.
If no candidate wins more than half of the votes, a second election is held. This is called a runoff election. The runoff is between the two candidates who received the most votes. The person with the most votes in the runoff becomes president.
A new president's term is supposed to start and end on February 7. This date follows the last presidential election. But sometimes, this date has not been followed. For instance, Michel Martelly became president on May 11, 2011.
Since 1950, all citizens can vote for the president. Before that, civilian presidents were chosen by the country's lawmakers.
What the President Does
The president's duties and powers are also explained in the 1987 Constitution. The president can only do what the Constitution allows.
Key Responsibilities
The Constitution states that the president must make sure of these things:
- The Constitution is respected and followed.
- Government groups work correctly and steadily.
- The country continues to function well.
- Haiti's independence and land are protected.
Working with the Government
If one political party has the most seats in the Parliament, the president must choose a prime minister from that party. If there is no clear majority, the president talks with both parts of Parliament to choose someone. In both cases, Parliament must approve the choice. The president also ends the prime minister's job if the government decides to step down.
International Relations
The president has a big role in how Haiti deals with other countries. They can declare war or sign peace treaties. But the National Assembly must approve these decisions. The president also signs all international agreements. These agreements then need approval from the National Assembly.
The president also sends ambassadors to other countries. They welcome ambassadors from foreign countries to Haiti. They also give special permission for foreign consuls to work in Haiti.
Appointments and Military Role
With the Senate's approval, the president appoints the top leaders of Haiti's military and Haitian police. They also appoint Haiti's ambassadors and consuls to other nations. The president is the main leader of the armed forces.
With the approval of the Council of Ministers, the president appoints other important officials. These include leaders of government services and local representatives.
Laws and Justice
The president approves new laws. They have the power to decide whether to approve a law or not.
The president can also reduce or change punishments for crimes. This applies to cases where a final decision has been made by a court. However, the president cannot give a full pardon to prisoners who committed non-political crimes.
President's Home
The National Palace in Port-au-Prince was the official home of Haiti's president. But it was badly damaged in the 2010 Haiti earthquake. It was later torn down in 2012. After that, President Jovenel Moïse used his own home as a temporary palace. He later moved to another house.
Who Takes Over?
The 1987 Constitution had rules for who would become president if the position became empty. First in line was the head of the Supreme Court of Haiti. Then came the court's vice-president, followed by other judges based on their experience. An election had to be held within three months. The person acting as president could not run for the job.
These rules changed in 2011–2012. Now, judges are no longer in the line of succession. Instead, if the presidency is empty, the Council of Ministers takes over. The prime minister leads this council.
Latest Election
See also
- List of heads of state of Haiti
- Vice President of Haiti
- Prime Minister of Haiti
- List of prime ministers of Haiti
Sources
