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UN mission in Haiti hails election calendar for 2015

Xinhua, March 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

The UN Mission in Haiti ( MINUSTAH) welcomed the formal proposal drafted by the country's Electoral Council featuring a calendar for elections later this year and is looking forward to the prompt publication of the proposed calendar, a UN spokesman told reporters here Friday.

The Haitian Electoral Council has formally proposed that elections for two-thirds of the senate and the chamber of deputies will be conducted on Aug. 9, with the presidential and municipal vote to be held on Oct. 25.

Also, parliamentary runoff elections are scheduled for Oct. 25, the same day as the first round of presidential and local elections. Presidential runoff elections are proposed to take place, if necessary, on Dec. 27.

"The Mission commends the Electoral Council for its extensive and all-inclusive consultations with political actors and its transparent approach," Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here. "These elections are of fundamental importance for Haiti and include all local and municipal seats that have been delayed since 2011."

Haiti has set dates for elections which have been repeatedly delayed, causing months of protest in the Carribean country.

The international partners of the United Nations and Haiti are assisting the island nation's Electoral Council "to organize fair, inclusive and transparent elections that will bring the installation of the country's 50th Legislature in January 2016 and a handover of power to a newly elected President in February 2016, " said the UN spokesman.

The Electoral Council has sent the proposed calendar for the country's long anticipated elections to President Michel Martelly for approval before it is published in the official gazette.

President Michel Martelly cannot run for re-election because the country's Constitution bars consecutive terms. Endite