March 17, 2026
The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP in French) officially submitted the draft electoral decree and the election calendar to the executive on November 14, stating that this step is essential. The CEP emphasized that “implementation of the calendar depends on timely publication of the decree,” stressing that progress is impossible without the executive’s validation.
By highlighting this submission, the institution aims to show it is doing its part. But the central question remains: what is an electoral decree worth in a country where the state struggles to exercise sovereignty? The CEP points to the need for “acceptable security conditions” and sufficient funding, yet three departments—including the West—are entirely outside state control.
The Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), tasked with restoring security before any major institutional step, has clearly failed. Gangs control roads, threaten infrastructure, and paralyze essential services, making credible nationwide elections nearly impossible.
In this context, delivery of the decree looks more like a symbolic gesture than a substantive advance. Authorities may repeat commitments to “inclusive and impartial elections,” but the stark question remains: how can a national vote be organized when the territory itself is fragmented and inaccessible?
