Next week, on August 20, the Electoral Council will launch the registration of candidates for the upcoming elections. From that date through October 2, the country will have a clear idea of the men and women who wish to govern it as elected officials. Among the most coveted elective offices has always been that of President of the Republic. What are the requirements of the electoral decree to be a candidate for the presidency?

The first part of the answer to this question can be found in Article 135 of the Constitution, also cited by the electoral decree. “To be elected President of the Republic of Haiti, one must: be Haitian by origin and never have renounced Haitian nationality and hold no other nationality at the time of registration; be at least thirty-five (35) years old on the day of the elections; enjoy civil and political rights and never have been sentenced to an afflictive and infamous punishment for an ordinary criminal offense; own at least one property in Haiti and have a habitual residence in the country; have resided in the country for five (5) consecutive years before the date of the elections; have received discharge for one’s management, if one has been accountable for public funds.”