Haitian Leaders Call for Bicéphale Government (Both Prime

30 Elite Interviews Reveal: Dual Executive (President + Prime Minister) Must Be Enforced, Not Replaced, to Restore Legitimacy and Enable Credible Elections

Washington, D.C. – July 13, 2026 – A new policy brief based on in-depth interviews with 30 Haitian and Haitian-American opinion leaders concludes that Haiti’s bicéphale (dual executive) system should be preserved and strengthened – but only after basic security is restored and constitutional succession rules are enforced. The Haiti Governance & Diaspora Study – Update, July 12, 2026, released by the Institute of Caribbean Studies / FONSOC (Forum Naitonale de la Societe Civile – Haiti), finds that roughly half of respondents defend the bicéphale model (President + Prime Minister) as a critical safeguard against authoritarianism. However, they describe the current system as dysfunctional in practice due to weak institutions, a politicized judiciary, and repeated violations of constitutional mandates. “Many insist that Haiti must return to a constitutional dual executive because under the 1987 Constitution only a president can formally call elections and transfer power,” the report states. Long periods in which a prime minister or transitional council effectively acts as president are viewed as unconstitutional and destabilizing.
Key Findings on the Bicéphale System and Governance Crisis:
• 47% of respondents support retaining the dual-executive model with stronger institutional checks.
• Interviewees described Haiti’s core problem as a “mandate crisis” – where succession rules and term limits exist on paper but are routinely ignored, creating a “permanent transition” mode of governance that erodes legitimacy and fuels instability.
• Two-thirds of governance voices emphasized that credible elections are impossible without first restoring security and enforcing constitutional rules.
• Security remains the overwhelming top priority: 47% ranked it as the single most urgent issue, with many stating that “as long as the gang issue is not solved, nothing will be solved in Haiti.”
“Respondents are not calling for the abandonment of the bicéphale system,” said Shawnta Watson Walcott, Pollster at the Institute of Caribbean Studies. “They are demanding that it function – backed by security, an independent judiciary, and respect for constitutional succession. Without these foundations, new elections or institutional reforms will remain symbolic. “The study also highlights strong support for formal diaspora inclusion (57%) and conditional U.S. engagement (53%), while warning that short-term political fixes without addressing the security and mandate crises will simply recycle the current instability. Recommendations include:
• Prioritizing professional security forces with civilian oversight.
• Enforcing succession rules and strengthening judicial independence to make the bicéphale system effective.
• Building formal mechanisms for diaspora participation in governance.
The full policy brief is available upon request.
About the Institute of Caribbean Studies / FONSOC (Forum Naitonale de la Societe Civile – Haiti). The Institute of Caribbean Studies conducts rigorous research and policy analysis on Caribbean governance, diaspora engagement, and sustainable development, with a focus on Haiti.
Media Contact:
Shawnta Watson Walcott
Pollster, Institute of Caribbean Studies / FONSOC
Mobile: (202) 374-4315

The Institute of Caribbean Studies

1629 K Street Washington DC, 20006

Institute of Caribbean Studies / FONSOC (Forum Naitonale de la Societe Civile – Haiti)

This release was published on openPR.