Michèle Pierre-Louis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michèle Pierre-Louis
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Pierre-Louis in 2009
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| 14th Prime Minister of Haiti | |
| In office 5 September 2008 – 11 November 2009 |
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| President | René Préval |
| Preceded by | Jacques-Édouard Alexis |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Max Bellerive |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 October 1947 |
| Political party | Independent |
| Alma mater | City University of New York, Queens |
Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis (born 5 October 1947) is a politician from Haiti. She served as the Prime Minister of Haiti from September 2008 to November 2009. She was the second woman to become prime minister in Haiti's history. The first was Claudette Werleigh, who held the position from 1995 to 1996.
Contents
Michèle Pierre-Louis's Career
Early Work and Nomination
Since 1995, Michèle Pierre-Louis has been the executive director of a group called the Knowledge and Freedom Foundation (FOKAL). This organization helps people and is supported by George Soros.
In June 2008, President René Préval chose Pierre-Louis to be the new prime minister. Two other people he had chosen before her were not approved by the parliament. Haiti's parliament has two parts: the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
Approval and Government Formation
The Chamber of Deputies approved her nomination on 17 July 2008. Most members voted for her. Then, the Senate approved her on 31 July. After these votes, her plans for the government still needed to be approved by both parts of parliament.
President Préval announced who would be in the new government on 25 August. There were 17 ministers, and seven of them had been in the government before. Pierre-Louis also became the Minister of Justice and Public Security. The new government was supposed to start on 26 August, but a big storm, Hurricane Gustav, caused a delay.
Facing Challenges as Prime Minister
On 5 September 2008, both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate approved Pierre-Louis's government plans. This happened after many talks. Haiti was also hit by two more strong storms, Hurricane Hanna and Hurricane Ike, around this time. These storms caused huge problems for the country. This made her job as prime minister very challenging from the start.
The Economist, a well-known news magazine, wrote about Michèle Pierre-Louis in 2010. They said that Haiti, a very poor country, had faced many problems for a long time. But under Prime Minister Pierre-Louis, they believed Haiti had a chance to make real progress. They noted her success in bringing different groups together in Haiti. She also worked well with leaders from other countries, making important friends like former US President Bill Clinton. Many hoped her time as prime minister could be a turning point for Haiti. They hoped it would help the country overcome poverty and unfairness.
End of Her Term
After about a year, some senators from President Préval's political party felt that people's lives were not getting better quickly enough. Others argued that it was unfair to blame Pierre-Louis for problems that had existed in Haiti for 200 years. However, on 11 November 2009, the parliament voted against her and her government. She then left office.
After the Earthquake
In 2010, a terrible earthquake hit Haiti. After the earthquake, Pierre-Louis wrote an article for the Huffington Post. In it, she shared her ideas for helping Haiti recover. She suggested a three-step plan: rescue, recovery, and rebuilding the country.
Other Activities
- She is a member of the Advisory Board for the Women’s Rights Program at the Open Society Foundations.
See also
In Spanish: Michèle Pierre-Louis para niños
