Haiti Postpones Elections Until 2026 Amid Worsening Armed Gang Control

Haiti will not hold national elections before February 2026 due to the overwhelming control of armed gangs over much of the country, particularly in the capital and key regions, which makes secure voting impossible. The last presidential election was in 2016, and the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 has left the country governed by interim authorities with no clear electoral timeline as gang violence continues to escalate. The electoral council has cited the inability to protect polling places and ensure logistics, with many voting centers inaccessible and large parts of the population cut off from electoral registries. The United Nations has warned of the political and humanitarian crisis, noting that only about half of the population might access voting centers and urging critical decisions ahead of the interim government's mandate expiration in February 2026. The international community is concerned that prolonged interim rule and political instability will exacerbate migration, trade disruptions, and the overall security situation in the region. Political divisions within Haiti further complicate the path forward, with calls for government extension amid the ongoing chaos and violence.