Failure of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council Sparks Public Rejection Ahead of February 7 Deadline

As the CPT’s constitutional mandate nears its end, Haitians denounce worsening insecurity, stalled governance, and foreign-driven solutions, demanding a nationally led path forward.

By: Haitian Prime News|January 2026|Port-au-Prince, Haiti

As February 7 approaches—the constitutionally symbolic date marking the end of the mandate of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (Conseil Présidentiel de Transition, CPT)—public rejection of the transitional body has intensified, with growing segments of the population openly calling for its departure.

Interviews reported by Juno7 and statements from civil society organizations reflect widespread disillusionment with the CPT, which many Haitians now view as ineffective and disconnected from the country’s urgent realities. Critics argue that the council has failed toWB to deliver on its core mission: restoring security, rebuilding state institutions, and organizing free and credible elections for the first time since 2016.

The CPT was established in April 2024 following intense regional and international negotiations after the resignation of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry amid escalating gang violence and state collapse. Its mandate, set to expire on February 7, 2026, was intended to serve as a short-term mechanism to stabilize the country and prepare a democratic transition.

Nearly two years later, security conditions have sharply deteriorated. Armed gangs continue to expand their territorial control across Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, operating with near-total impunity. Humanitarian and security assessments estimate that large portions of the capital are now effectively under gang domination, with key roads, neighborhoods, and economic corridors beyond state control.

This expansion of violence has fueled a deepening humanitarian crisis. More than 1.4 million people have been displaced nationwide, while food insecurity has reached critical levels. Kidnappings, sexual violence, and extrajudicial killings remain widespread, further eroding public confidence in state authority.

“The gangs have grown stronger. More territory is slipping out of state control. The population lives in fear,” said a resident of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area interviewed in recent local coverage. Similar testimonies are increasingly common, underscoring the perception that the CPT has failed to protect citizens or reassert basic governance.

Beyond security concerns, civil society leaders and community voices denounce what they describe as an absence of political vision and tangible progress. Institutional reforms remain stalled, electoral preparations have not materialized, and trust in transitional governance has collapsed. Calls for extending the CPT’s mandate have been met with strong resistance from groups who view prolonged transition as another mechanism for political stagnation.

Particular criticism has been directed at continued reliance on foreign-led initiatives, including the under-resourced Multinational Security Support Mission and proposals for additional external security deployments. Many Haitians argue that such approaches have repeatedly failed and undermine national sovereignty, insisting instead on a Haitian-led solution rooted in accountability and internal consensus.

As the February 7 deadline approaches, Haiti faces renewed uncertainty. For many citizens, the CPT has come to symbolize not a bridge toward democratic restoration, but another failed transitional experiment—reinforcing demands for a decisive break from externally shaped governance and a return to nationally driven political reconstruction.

Sources

Juno7 (Haiti)

Statements from Haitian civil society organizations

Humanitarian reporting from international and regional aid agencies

Local resident interviews cited in Haitian media