International News

PORT-AU-PRINCE, (MILLAT+APP/AFP) – Businessman
Jovenel Moise appealed for unity late Monday after official preliminary results showed he won Haiti’s presidential election in the first round.
Provisional Electoral Council president Leopold Berlanger cautioned that
the results were preliminary and final results would not be confirmed until
December 29.
Three of the council’s nine members refused to sign the results announced
on Monday, signalling a potential conflict over the outcome.
Moise, a 48-year-old businessman who was backed by former president Michel
Martelly but has never held political office, appealed to Haitians to unite
behind him.
“I appeal to the country’s youth, to all Haitians who live abroad, to all
the country’s professionals, to stand by my side to raise the country up,
because Haiti is on its knees,” he said, speaking at a luxury hotel minutes
after the results were announced.
The election council’s executive director Uder Antoine said Moise won 55.67
percent of the votes. Jude Celestin, candidate of the opposition LAPEH, was
next with 19.52 percent.
Candidate Moise Jean Charles got 11.04 percent and Maryse Narcisse of the
Fanmi Lavalas party 8.99 percent.
Any candidate who wins more than half of the votes cast in the first round
is the victor.
Haitian law offers candidates the opportunity to challenge the results from
the presidential and legislative election in electoral courts, before final
results are published on December 29.