Government

Haiti is a republic, and is governed under the constitution of 1987, which was suspended and reinstated several times between 1988 and 2006, when the country returned to constitutional rule. The president is the chief of state and the prime minister is the head of government, but most power resides with the president. Haiti has a bicameral legislature with a 30-seat Senate, whose members are elected to six-year terms, and a 90-seat Chamber of Deputies, whose members are elected to four-year terms. Administratively, the country is divided into 10 departments.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

• • Cite
  • Print