18 Candidates Head Into Haiti Election

Wyclef Jean may not be on the ballot, but Haitians will still have plenty to choose from when they go to the polls. There are currently 18 candidates running for president and not one of them can be considered a clear front-runner. That means the election will likely be decided by a runoff in January, some time around the anniversary of the devastating earthquake. Included on the list are a 70-year-old former first lady, the general director of Haiti’s largest flour milling company, and a singer who goes by the name of Sweet Micky. The people of Haiti seem eager to replace outgoing president René Préval, who was largely invisible during the early aftermath of the quake and has failed to re-establish the country’s central authority. But even among 18 candidates, people may not find a real solution. "We need leadership," said one activist. "And if you put all the candidates together, you would only get half a president."