June 2, 2026. The Fils-Aimé government has assumed for itself the prerogative of drafting an electoral decree in place of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP). The CEP, which says it discovered the text that very day during an informational meeting with Prime Minister Fils-Aimé, denounced the government’s violation of the Constitution in a statement. The CEP’s communiqué directly contradicted the one issued by the government.

Despite the CEP’s denunciation—which effectively called upon both national and international public opinion as witnesses—the government proceeded to publish the decree drafted by the Prime Minister’s Office. Considering the sequence of events that unfolded on June 2, there is now a breakdown of trust between the CEP and the government. It marks a notable escalation in a conflict over authority and prerogatives. And with the publication of the decree originating from the Prime Minister’s Office, it amounts to an electoral power grab. That is precisely what it is. Indeed, Article 191-1 of the amended 1987 Constitution states that the Permanent Electoral Council “also drafts the Electoral Law Bill, which it submits to the Executive Branch for the necessary follow-up.” Article 191 further stipulates that “the Permanent Electoral Council is responsible for organizing and independently supervising all electoral operations throughout the territory of the Republic until the proclamation of election results.”