Haiti: Post-CPT Negotiations in Deadlock

PORT-AU-PRINCE.— As the mandate of the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) approaches its end on February 7, 2026, negotiations on replacement governance remain blocked. No consensus is emerging among the main political and social actors, exacerbating a climate of institutional uncertainty and security tension. For several weeks, discussions concerning the post-CPT architecture have struggled to yield a viable solution. Political parties, civil society organizations, and several influential sectors cannot agree on a succession formula. The absence of a clear roadmap raises fears of a repeat of transitional crises already experienced by the country. Proposals, but No Agreement; the Political Landscape Remains Divided Several options are circulating in political and diplomatic circles. Some advocate for a new political compromise, including more civil society organizations, to designate a new transitional team. Others believe it is necessary to turn to the Court of Cassation as an institutional solution. This institution, some actors consider, is the only entity capable of providing a transition deemed legitimate. Finally, there is the option of a sectoral designation of a Prime Minister, involving notably the Protestant, Vodou, academic, political, and associative sectors. To date, none of these proposals has garnered majority support. Legacy of a Controversial CPT Record: The Security Crisis, a Major Obstacle to Any Transition Gang violence continues to paralyze the capital and several regions. Kidnappings, armed clashes, and territorial blockades cause massive population displacement and hinder any attempt at normalization. This context makes holding elections technically and politically difficult, if not impossible, in the short term. Calls for Dialogue to Avoid Institutional Breakdown Faced with the current deadlock, national and international actors are urging the CPT to open a catch-up dialogue to revise its objectives, ensure a negotiated exit from the transition, and avoid deeper institutional chaos starting February 7. The talks are still at a standstill. Monsignor Pierre André Dumas has withdrawn, casting doubt on the entire process. As for the possibility of civil society mediation, it appears a little too self-interested and sometimes too involved in the crises, while with the international community, it is a risky approach. Less than a month before the deadline, the landscape remains dominated by fragmented proposals, a lack of trust, and rampant insecurity, raising the threat of an institutional vacuum. The outcome will depend on the capacity of Haitian political forces to find a minimal compromise, an essential condition for an orderly transition and the progressive reconstruction of democratic institutions. Jean Mapou/ Le Relief