“The Haitian state was not ready for holding last Sunday's referendum,” admitted Minister Gracien Jean
By La Rédaction · Port-au-Prince
· 2 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
4 days after the failed realization of the referendum scheduled for May 11, the Minister Delegate for Electoral Affairs and Constitutional Revision, Gracien Jean, provides clarification on this failure. Speaking on the program «Le point» on Radio Télé Metropole, the minister explained that the conditions for its realization were not met.
During his visit to France last January, the then CPT president Leslie Voltaire announced the constitutional referendum for Sunday, May 11, 2025. A date that was not respected. Minister Gracien Jean conceded this morning on Métropole radio that the Haitian state was not yet ready for this event, which is nevertheless crucial for the transition.
He cited the absence of a constitutional text, the referendum decree, and the non-convocation of the people to their assemblies to justify his arguments. These conditions are essential for holding the referendum in the country, he specified. He stated that the steering committee of the national conference continues to work on the process. « Many advances have already been made. The commissioners are working tirelessly, and the texts will be available soon,» declared Mr. Jean, showing himself, despite everything, very confident. « The Haitian government will execute all major projects planned in the April 3 agreement before February 7, 2026, thinks the professor, believing that there is still time.» With nine months left in the CPT's mandate, he still wants to believe. « Everything is being done to hold the referendum and elections in the country,» he said, while reaffirming the strong will of the Transitional Presidential Council and the government to leave power by February 7, 2026. Furthermore, Gracien Jean criticizes certain political actors who ridicule the process. For him, these « vindictive intellectuals » are very favorable to the sociopolitical instability that Haiti is currently experiencing. In this regard, he invites the Haitian people to remain calm, to trust the authorities again, and not the detractors. « Be vigilant, Haitian people, everything will return to order,» he concluded.
He cited the absence of a constitutional text, the referendum decree, and the non-convocation of the people to their assemblies to justify his arguments. These conditions are essential for holding the referendum in the country, he specified. He stated that the steering committee of the national conference continues to work on the process. « Many advances have already been made. The commissioners are working tirelessly, and the texts will be available soon,» declared Mr. Jean, showing himself, despite everything, very confident. « The Haitian government will execute all major projects planned in the April 3 agreement before February 7, 2026, thinks the professor, believing that there is still time.» With nine months left in the CPT's mandate, he still wants to believe. « Everything is being done to hold the referendum and elections in the country,» he said, while reaffirming the strong will of the Transitional Presidential Council and the government to leave power by February 7, 2026. Furthermore, Gracien Jean criticizes certain political actors who ridicule the process. For him, these « vindictive intellectuals » are very favorable to the sociopolitical instability that Haiti is currently experiencing. In this regard, he invites the Haitian people to remain calm, to trust the authorities again, and not the detractors. « Be vigilant, Haitian people, everything will return to order,» he concluded.
