Constitutional Referendum, Haiti's Only Intelligent Choice Remaining

Jacques (5) and  Sonny (6)at a refugee camp in Lalue, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

- SOS Journalistes Calls on Court of Cassation to Assume Power in February 2026 to Avoid a Much Worse Political Catastrophe

Haitian-Caribbean News Network

Monday, July 14, 2025

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (HCNN) - SOS Journalistes Haiti warns Haitian political and electoral authorities against holding elections by year-end, as they are doomed to failure, while a constitutional referendum is essential in the Caribbean country where power is expected to be transferred in February 2026 to a judge of the Court of Cassation, according to informed observers.

Haitian officials and actors, from all political backgrounds, are striving to find a political compromise to launch the electoral process, but it is becoming increasingly clear that it is impossible for the authorities to organize such a vote in such a short period of time, just a few months.

Many would consider that Haiti is really at a sociopolitical and economic crossroads where it has to make sure that it hits the nail on the head.

For SOS Journalistes, the very first step, towards holding the constitutional referendum and crucial general elections, is to restore security, while knowing the situation will still be challenging a while longer.

All sectors of society, including journalists and the media, must be actively involved in order to build a critical mass of stakeholders in the discussions.

NEW CONSTITUTION IN SIGHT

SOS Journalistes believes a New Constitution should be adopted before the end of the year; and it's a prerequisite to having credible elections by the end of 2026, in what is supposed to be the last political transition.

SOS Journalistes calls on the Transitional Presidential Council (better known by its French acronym CPT), Prime minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé's government, the Electoral Council, the National Dialogue Steering Committee, ... need really to focus their attention on the holding of the Constitutional Referendum that should take place no later than November or December 2025.

There would be enough time for more popular debates on the issue around the country; a Proofreading Committee could meticulously go through the document and provide advice; there would be much less opposing voice to it; and many more people would want to join the effort...

In January 2026, the Transitonal Presidential Council would publish the New Constitution in the official newspaper of the Republic "Le Moniteur", and the CPT will leave power as scheduled on Feb. 7, 2026.

FINAL TRANSITION WITH HAITI'S SUPREME COURT

SOS Journalistes feels encouraged to support the particular formula with the president of the Haitian Supreme Court (Cour de Cassation) who had always set the good example, and had, each and every time, worked almost perfectly.

So, SOS Journalistes is proposing judge Jean Joseph Lebrun as president to lead Haiti through the new and next transition, which should end on Feb. 7, 2027, with the inauguration of the new president, preceded by a functioning parliament and local elected collectivities' representatives.

SOS Journalistes is not talking about a judge at Haiti's Supreme Court, but the President of the "Cour de Cassation", Me Jean-Joseph Lebrun, who took office on November 22, 2022.

Deeply concerned by country's general situation, SOS Journalistes  believes that it is time for all Haitians, from different political and socioeconomic sectors, to come together and definitely fix our problems.

Done in Port-au-Prince, Monday, July 14, 2025.

Joseph Guyler C. Delva

Secretary general for

SOS Journalistes Haiti