State in Haiti

Haiti's constitutional order is based on the Constitution of 29 March 1987, as amended in 2012. The country is a unitary republic, so national institutions set the main legal framework while territorial authorities manage local responsibilities. Kreyòl and French are the official languages. The Constitution recognizes fundamental rights, civic duties and the rule of law, although practical access to institutions and remedies is often limited by insecurity, weak infrastructure, staff shortages and delays. The executive branch is led by the Prime Minister as head of government. The Conseil des ministres, meaning the council of ministers, directs government policy and the central administration through the Primature and specialized ministries. Relevant ministries include the Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities (MICT), the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), the Ministry of National Defence (MD), the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP), and other sector ministries. The Conseil Présidentiel de Transition ended its mandate on 7 February 2026. Executive authority then continued through the Conseil des ministres under Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé while Haiti awaited an elected president. The constitutional legislature is bicameral, consisting of the Sénat and the Chambre des Députés. Since 2020, Haiti has not had a regularly functioning Parliament, which has severely restricted lawmaking and democratic oversight. The Conseil Électoral Provisoire (CEP) may be relevant to a future institutional and electoral transition, but it is not a general branch of government. Elections themselves belong to a separate subject area. Haiti's territorial structure includes 10 Départements, Arrondissements, Communes and Sections communales. An Arrondissement is an administrative division, while the Section communale, Commune and Département are territorial communities with constitutional responsibilities. Municipal and departmental councils are formally elected and have administrative and financial autonomy. The MICT coordinates territorial administration. IHSI maintains official codes and directories for departments, arrondissements, communes, quartiers and communal sections. Haiti has no separate constitutional city or province level. The Port-au-Prince metropolitan area nevertheless has disproportionate political and administrative relevance. People usually reach public administration through ministries, the Primature, Mairies, municipal councils, CASEC offices and departmental services. CASEC refers to the administrative council of a communal section. The responsible office, opening times, documents, fees and processing time depend on the service. Digital portals such as servicespublics.gouv.ht can supplement physical access, while official government communication also appears through ministries, the Primature and Le Moniteur. Physical access may change quickly because of violence, displacement, damaged infrastructure or absent staff. The MEF leads economic and financial policy. The DGI administers taxes and the AGD administers customs. In fiscal year 2025, domestic revenue was 4.8% of gross domestic product, total revenue including grants was 6.0%, expenditure was 6.2%, the primary balance was positive at 0.1%, capital expenditure was 1.9%, overall budget execution was 75.5% and capital-budget execution was 42.2%. Low revenue, dependence on customs and weak execution limit the state's ability to provide services. Uncertainty and administrative weakness continued to pressure fiscal operations in fiscal year 2026. The Cour supérieure des comptes et du contentieux administratif (CSCCA) independently audits public finances and hears administrative and financial disputes. It reviews public accounts, administrative acts and financial contracts and gives opinions on the budget. The Unité de lutte contre la corruption (ULCC) is an autonomous administrative body under the MEF that prevents and investigates corruption and can refer matters onward. The Conseil supérieur du pouvoir judiciaire (CSPJ) oversees judicial administration, judicial independence, integrity and transparency. The Cour de Cassation is the highest court, while the CSCCA handles administrative and financial disputes. Access to courts remains constrained by insecurity, limited resources, delays and uneven territorial presence. The MJSP and the Police nationale d'Haïti (PNH) provide the main internal security institutions. The Forces armées d'Haïti (FAd'H) form the armed forces, and the Force de répression des gangs (FRG) supports efforts against armed gangs. The PNH has an effective strength of approximately 9,000 to 10,000 officers for a population exceeding 11 million. Armed gangs control or contest large areas of Port-au-Prince, Artibonite and other regions, so the state's effective security presence is often limited or intermittent. Private security companies, vigilante groups, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and international forces may provide support, but they are not substitutes for Haitian state institutions. BINUH recorded 1,408 deaths and 656 injuries between 1 April and 30 June 2026. An attack in Kenscoff on 23–24 August 2026 caused at least 47 deaths. Security operations alone cannot restore effective state authority; functioning justice, schools, health services, livelihoods and local administration also affect whether public authority works in daily life. Public trust is weakened by the absence of regular elections, corruption allegations, poor services and violence. Formal constitutional institutions therefore exist, but their practical reach and reliability differ substantially across Haiti.