Haiti Transitional Council Collapses as Gangs Hold 90 Percent of Port-au-Prince

Politics · Haiti

Haiti enters the final stretch before its first general elections since 2016 with no elected president, a dissolved transitional council, and gangs still controlling up to 90 percent of Port-au-Prince. The December 2026 second round is on paper only, because security conditions make a credible nationwide vote nearly impossible.

Transitional Council dissolves into infighting

A Transitional Presidential Council, known in French as Conseil Présidentiel de Transition, was created in April 2024 under an agreement facilitated by CARICOM and the United States.

The nine-member body was tasked with managing the transition and preparing elections, but it became mired in political infighting and corruption allegations.

Its mandate was set to end on 7 February 2026.

On that date, the council dissolved, leaving Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, previously appointed by the council in 2024, as the only official holding executive power.

CSIS reports that the new interim government led by Fils-Aimé took over without restoring security or establishing a clear electoral path.

Electoral calendar set but unenforceable

A Provisional Electoral Council, known as the CEP, has been appointed and is working with the UN Integrated Office in Haiti, called BINUH, to prepare elections.

A national decree scheduled Haiti’s first general elections since 2016 for two rounds in August and December 2026.

The Provisional Electoral Council published a staggered electoral calendar in December 2025.

The first round presidential and legislative elections are scheduled for 30 August 2026.

The second round elections, including local authorities in Haiti’s 146 communes, are scheduled for December 2026.

Over 300 parties but shrinking territory

Security Council Report notes that over 300 political parties have registered to participate in the planned elections.

That registration number contrasts sharply with the physical territory where voting can actually occur.

The New Humanitarian warns that while two rounds in August and December 2026 are decreed, no one really knows what will be possible given the security crisis.

Security Council Report says general elections are still planned for August, but delays due to the security situation or other factors cannot be excluded.

The BTI 2026 country report notes that early 2025 plans for November 2025 elections already conceded it might not be possible to open polls in parts of Port-au-Prince and the Artibonite department.

Gang control of the capital

UN Office on Drugs and Crime and BINUH estimated in July 2025 that organized criminal groups control 90 percent of Port-au-Prince.

The US Congressional Research Service cited similar reports in June 2025 that up to 90 percent of the capital is controlled by gangs.

InSight Crime cited a United Nations estimate in January 2025 that gangs controlled more than 85 percent of the capital and the areas around it.

Le Monde noted in October 2025 that as the Kenya-led mission ended, gangs still controlled 85 percent of the streets in Port-au-Prince.

The New Humanitarian reported in January 2025 that gangs control at least 85 percent of the capital and the area around it.

Gangs expand beyond Port-au-Prince

Gang influence has expanded well beyond the capital.

The New Humanitarian reported in January 2025 that gangs also control all main highways out of Port-au-Prince.

They also control large parts of the Artibonite department.

Security Council Report noted in April 2026 that gangs have overrun large parts of Port-au-Prince and expanded reach into Artibonite and Centre departments.

BTI 2026 confirmed gangs controlled approximately 85 percent of the capital at the close of its review period and had expanded into other regions.

Kenya-led mission ends with mixed results

The Multinational Security Support mission, often called the MSS, was led by Kenya and began operating in Haiti in 2024.

Le Monde reported in October 2025 that the Kenya-led anti-gang mission ended with mixed results.

Sky News reported in May 2025 that around 90 percent of the capital was under gang control, highlighting the mission’s inability to curtail gang activity.

The mission was replaced by a new UN-authorised force, but its deployment timeline and capacity remain unclear.

The New Humanitarian reported in December 2025 that Haitians spoke of exhaustion as the new UN force prepared to tackle gangs.

Humanitarian impact worsens

Gang control of highways and neighbourhoods has severed supply routes for food, fuel, and medical aid.

Displacement has increased as armed groups expand into Artibonite and Centre departments.

The security crisis has made large parts of the country inaccessible to humanitarian agencies.

The New Humanitarian reported in December 2025 that Haitians describe the situation as one of exhaustion and fear.

The collapse of municipal authority in gang-held areas leaves basic services absent.

Can the December vote happen?

The stated calendar requires the first round on 30 August 2026 and the second round in December 2026.

But Security Council Report says delays due to the security situation or other factors cannot be excluded.

The New Humanitarian explicitly warns that no one really knows what will be possible given the security crisis.

Territorial access problems persist in Port-au-Prince, major highways, and the Artibonite department.

Holding a credible nationwide vote under these conditions would require security control that neither the transitional government nor the new UN force currently demonstrates.

Regional implications for investors and neighbours

Haiti’s instability is not contained within its borders.

Gang expansion into the Artibonite and Centre departments increases displacement toward the Dominican Republic.

Caribbean and Latin American governments view a failed Haitian election as a risk for migration, smuggling, and regional security.

Investors tracking Caribbean logistics, tourism, and aid contracts face higher uncertainty without a legitimate Haitian government.

The collapse of the Transitional Presidential Council leaves no elected authority to negotiate long-term agreements with foreign partners.

What comes next

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé remains the only official holding executive power after the council dissolved on 7 February 2026.

The Provisional Electoral Council continues to work with BINUH on election preparations.

But the gap between the printed calendar and territorial reality grows wider.

Security Council Report notes that general elections are still planned for August, but no source confirms that polls can open in gang-held zones.

Without territorial access, the December 2026 second round exists as a legal date rather than a political event.

A test for the region

Haiti’s election timeline is now a measure of whether international security support can restore even minimal conditions for voting.

The Kenya-led mission ended with gangs still holding most of the capital.

The new UN force has not yet demonstrated the capacity to reopen highways or secure polling stations.

For the Caribbean, the Haitian vote is a stress test of regional crisis response.

For investors, the absence of a credible government means continued uncertainty over property, contracts, and cross-border risk.