Dates of last and next legislative elections: L. House 2000/2005
U. House 2000/2005

Head of state: Interim President Boniface Alexandre

AT THE LAST ELECTION

A wealthy elite, backed by the military, supported the Duvalier dictatorships and regularly financed coups after "Baby Doc" Duvalier's overthrow in 1986. UN sanctions followed the 1991 coup and US forces restored the elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, in 1994. His left-wing Lavalas party won legislative elections in 1995. A backlash against austerity policies insisted on by the US soured relations between the presidency and the legislature. New elections, finally held in 2000, resulted in a strongly disputed but decisive victory for the Lavalas coalition, while a similarly controversial presidential poll was won by Aristide. The opposition rejected his victory, effectively creating political stalemate which exploded in 2004. Rebels led a series of armed uprisings. Aristide fled and an interim government was established with tacit rebel support.

From "The Financial Times World Desk Reference" © Dorling Kindersley 2004