Alix Didier Fils-Aimé becomes Haiti’s de facto head of state after CPT’s exit

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé formally became Haiti’s de facto head of state, with full and unchecked power, following the expiration of the Transitional Presidential Council’s (CPT) mandate.

In a handover ceremony organized by the General Secretariat of the Presidency Saturday that formalized the transfer, the absence of several figures at Villa d’Accueil in Port-au-Prince underscored the political tension that led to the moment. As he did in his previous inaugural address as prime minister, Fils-Aimé — once again — vowed to tackle insecurity and organize uncontested elections.  He reaffirmed his commitment to restoring security, fostering national dialogue and organizing elections.

“Aware of the stakes, the government I lead is getting to work, and the prerogatives granted to the executive will be scrupulously exercised in respect of the institutions and in the higher interest of the nation,” Fils-Aimé said. 

He officially regains his role as prime minister now, with full powers, having to govern without a president or a parliament.

Fils-Aimé became Haiti’s Prime Minister on Nov. 11, 2024, succeeding Garry Conille, who was dismissed by the CPT after serving just five months in the post. Conille, who had originally contested the decision to revoke him, eventually stepped down.

As he did in his previous inaugural address, Fils-Aimé–once again—vowed to tackle insecurity and organize uncontested elections.  He reaffirmed his commitment to restoring security, fostering national dialogue and organizing elections.

“Aware of the stakes, the government I lead is getting to work, and the prerogatives granted to the executive will be scrupulously exercised in respect of the institutions and in the higher interest of the nation,” he said. 

The prime minister also expressed gratitude to CPT members, whom he said, “ completed their mandate with a spirit of republican duty.”

Saint-Cyr, accompanied by Emmanuel Vertillaire, Régine Abraham, Frinel Joseph and Smith Augustin, formally transferred executive authority to PM Fils-Aimé to ensure continuity of the state. Leslie Voltaire briefly appeared before leaving the ceremony, while Edgard Leblanc Fils, Fritz Alphonse Jean and Louis Gérald Gilles were absent.

In his farewell remarks, Saint-Cyr acknowledged the council’s recent efforts to address insecurity while conceding that many challenges remain unresolved. He criticized political actors who, he said, undermine democratic principles by seeking power outside electoral processes.

Political deadlock leaves Fils-Aimé with sole executive authority

With no consensus among Haiti’s political class on a post-CPT framework, Fils-Aimé now governs alone — a situation reminiscent of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s tenure following the July 7, 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.

Several political actors have endorsed this outcome. The political party Lajenès Kisa Nou Vle, led by former National Education Fund (FNE) director Sterline Civil, argued that consolidating power under the prime minister was necessary to restore stability and organize elections swiftly.

Jocelerme Privert, a former provisional president who oversaw the last elections in Haiti between  2015 and 2016,  echoed that view. He noted that the absence of a functioning National Assembly makes it impossible to appoint a provisional president.

“In these conditions, the Council of Ministers must exercise executive authority until elections are held,” Privert said in late January.

International partners have also endorsed Fils-Aimé’s leadership. The Community Caribbean (CARICOM), which helped broker the April 2024 agreement that created the CPT, said that in the absence of a political exit agreement, Haiti would transition to a single-headed executive on Feb. 7.

The United States aligned with that position, reiterating its support for Fils-Aimé’s leadership days before the CPT’s mandate ended.

Law enforcement authorities were placed on high alert and ramped up security around Villa d’Accueil before nightfall, ahead of Saturday morning, when the CPT members were set to depart.  

International backing amid sanctions and public pressure

Fils-Aimé’s consolidation of authority follows failed efforts by several CPT members to remove him before Feb. 7. The five members behind that initiative — Leslie Voltaire, Edgard Leblanc Fils, Louis Gérald Gilles, Fritz Alphonse Jean and Smith Augustin — were subsequently punished with  U.S. visa restrictions, which also extended to their immediate family members.

Public frustration with the CPT had intensified in recent weeks, with political parties and civil society groups denouncing the council as ineffective, costly, and incapable of addressing worsening insecurity. Several organizations boycotted CPT-led talks on the post-Feb. 7 transition.

Established under an April 3, 2024 political accord following Ariel Henry’s resignation, the CPT was tasked with restoring security, organizing elections, reviving the economy, and overseeing constitutional reforms — goals that remain largely unmet as Haiti enters its latest phase of political uncertainty.

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