Haiti Remains President-Less

Revelers perform during of 2016 National Carnival Parade on February 9, 2016, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Sunday’s launch was suspended due to the political situation affecting Haiti. (HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images)

By NAN Contributor

News Americas, PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Tues. Feb. 9, 2016: The Caribbean nation of Haiti enters day two today without a President.

Michel Martelly stepped down Sunday as President of the nation of more than 10 million people, leaving the country’s parliament to choose the next leader over the next few days to serve for 120 days.

In the interim, under an 11th-hour agreement brokered by the Organization of American states at the weekend, Prime Minister Evans Paul will stay in office as the country’s temporary leader until parliament chooses an interim president.

Martelly officially signed off on the agreement with President Jocelerme Privert and Vice-President Cholzer Chancy of the Haiti National Assembl before he stepped down on Sunday, Feb. 7th, the end of his official term.

“Today, the time came for me to tell the Haitian people, THANKS,” he tweeted after in Kreyole.

Paul, who made his own run for the presidency in 2006, would be succeeded by a consensus prime minister once parliament chooses a president.

A presidential runoff elections due to be held last month was scrapped after protesters took to the streets over allegations that fraud in the first round favored the ruling party candidate Jovenel Moise.

Under the terms of the agreement, continuation of the elections process to the second round will take place on April 24. The new President, elected by that process, will be installed on May 14, 2016.