Polls open in Haiti long-delayed elections

Polling stations have opened for a long-delayed public vote in Haiti, marking the first plebiscite since Michel Martelly was elected president more than four years ago.

The legislative elections, which have been constantly postponed since 2011, got underway on Sunday at 6:00 am local time (1000 GMT).

Haiti's 5.8 million voters are to elect all members of the nation's Chamber of Deputies and two-thirds of its Senate from among 1,800 candidates for 139 seats.

In 2014, the Caribbean nation witnessed violent anti-government demonstrations across the country over its failure to hold parliamentary elections.

Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe resigned under political pressure in December last year. In January this year, the parliament was dissolved and the president has since ruled as the head of state as required by the law.

The delayed elections and high fuel costs prompted Haitians to hold anti-government demonstrations in several different parts of the country this year.

Haiti was hit by a strong earthquake in 2010, which devastated much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and its surrounding areas.

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