30 Jan 2011

New election timetable announced

7:58 am on 30 January 2011

The electoral council in Haiti is to announce the final results of the disputed first round of last year's presidential election on Wednesday.

The preliminary results sparked days of unrest when the government-backed candidate narrowly edged a popular singer out of the second round run-off.

International monitors ruled that the results were rigged.

The BBC reports a second round was supposed to take place two weeks ago, but was postponed because of the dispute.

A new schedule was published on Friday after weeks of delays and rescheduling.

The electoral council announced 20 March as the new date for the second round. It said the final results would be out on 31 March.

Former first lady Mirlande Manigat won the first round on 28 November, but it is not entirely clear who she will face in the run-off.

The government-backed candidate Jude Celestin was removed from the list earlier this week by the ruling party, Inite.

However, the BBC reports the candidate himself has refused to confirm that he will not take part.

He won 7000 more votes than pop star Michel Martelly in the first round.