VZCZCXRO8325
OO RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #0887/01 2961247
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231247Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0457
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 2398
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 0436
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 2111
RUEHMT/AMCONSUL MONTREAL 0416
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC 1475
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCOWCV/CCGDSEVEN MIAMI FL
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000887 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR, DRL, S/CRS, 
INL FOR KEVIN BROWN, HEATHER WILD AND MEAGAN MCBRIDE 
INR/IAA 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EINR EAID HA
SUBJECT: LESPWA STALLS POLITICAL PARTIES LAW 
 
PORT AU PR 00000887  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. LESPWA has stalled progress in Parliament 
on the draft political parties law, as the approval of the 
current version would undermine the preferential access and 
influence it has as the party allied with President Preval. 
The proposal would reduce the number of political parties and 
regulate party financing and administration, but could also 
be used as a political tool to sideline the weak and 
fractious opposition.  LESPWA's majority in the Senate 
ensures that any reform of the political parties law will be 
on its terms. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) The Chamber of Deputies approved, before the end of 
its regular session, a law on political parties aimed at 
regulating, financing and reducing the number of political 
parties in Haiti.  The main features of the law are outlined 
below. 
 
¶3. (U) The law as drafted would require political parties to 
gather a minimum of signed endorsements equivalent to five 
percent of the electorate.  This would amount to about 
200,000 signatures, compared to the 5,000 required now.  In 
effect, few political parties could meet this criterion 
(Note: Less than 500,000 Haitians voted in the last 
Senatorial elections, and none of the parties garnered 
anywhere near 200,000 votes in support).  It is probable that 
the five percent threshold will be reduced before passage. 
 
¶4. (U) In addition, political parties would be required to 
appoint a legal representative and officially publish their 
internal rules.  All political parties would also be required 
to re-register after the law is passed, thus complicating the 
fortunes of parties like Fanmi Lavalas, whose leadership is 
internally contested (the Provisional Electoral Council 
excluded Lavalas from the previous senatorial elections on 
these grounds). 
 
¶5. (U) In terms of financing, the law would earmark one 
percent of state revenues for the funding of political 
parties (about USD 10 million a year).  Major political 
parties such as LESPWA could receive up to USD 2 million, 
while smaller regional movements (if they,ve managed to get 
recognized) would only receive a marginal amount. Campaign 
financing is not addressed by the political party law (Note: 
the electoral law, already in effect, provides state 
financing to candidates, while the new political party law 
would fund parties directly. Currently, the GOH provides 
little financing to candidates - about USD 2,000 - and 
payments end up being made after the elections are over). 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT.  The proposal, if adopted, could bring 
welcome changes, significantly reducing political parties, 
forcing alliances and mergers, and eventually encouraging the 
development of policy-oriented platforms.  However, 
objections are already being voiced as many parties fear 
being put out of business. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) More importantly, LESPWA (President Preval's party) 
has used its majority to stall the progress of the law in the 
Senate, and changes are likely to be made to the proposal. 
LESPWA is in fact content with the status quo, especially 
ahead of upcoming legislative and presidential elections in 
¶2010.  Many observers believe that LESPWA's ties to Preval 
and its influence guarantees that it has access to government 
resources for campaigning (it was widely reported that LESPWA 
candidates benefited from government vehicles and other 
resources in the run-up to senatorial elections this summer). 
 Should the law pass, opposition parties would benefit 
financially, something LESPWA and Preval have no incentive to 
see happen. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Some version of the law is likely to be passed 
before next year.  LESPWA will remain the predominant force 
both in Parliament and in the political arena ahead of next 
year,s elections, unless parliamentarians not affiliated 
with LESPWA join forces.  This becomes especially likely if 
smaller political parties are prevented from registering. 
However, despite LESPWA,s increasing influence, electoral 
 
PORT AU PR 00000887  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
prospects remain unpredictable. 
MERTEN