Haitian lawmakers early Sunday elected Jocelerme Privert as the troubled country's interim president to fill a power vacuum following the departure of Michel Martelly, after a vote to choose his successor was postponed over fears of violence. Privert, 62, a senator and president of the National Assembly, was chosen on the second round of balloting after a lengthy session that stretched overnight Saturday to Sunday.
The lawmakers chose Privert over two other candidates, Dejan Belizaire and Edgar Leblanc Fils, both former presidents of Haiti's senate. Belizaire was quickly eliminated after receiving just two votes.
Martelly ended his five-year term without a successor on February 7.
Under an agreement signed hours before his departure, the interim president chosen by parliament would serve for up to 120 days, a new election would be held on April 24, and the new president would be installed on May 14.
After taking the oath, Privert announced that he would form a "consensus government capable of inspiring confidence, and able to create peace for the continuation of the electoral process."
This is the first time since 1946 that a Haitian chief of state is chosen by indirect vote.
The immediate roots of the crisis can be traced to October, when Martelly's favoured candidate, Jovenel Moise, won the first round of presidential voting 33 percent to 25 percent over runner-up Jude Celestin.