PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) – The 54 candidates vying to replace President Michel Martelly kicked off their campaigns on Wednesday amid heightened criticism of the country’s electoral commission.

The election season began with a few hundred protesters rallying against Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) here.

The Council has been criticised since deciding to repeat legislative elections across nearly a quarter of the country after an August 9 vote was plagued with violence and fraud.

The first round of the legislative elections was marred by acts of violence and attacks on some polling stations.

Last week, the Departmental Electoral Offices of Litigation ruled on 203 cases challenging the preliminary results. 

“The CEP is under the political influence of certain sectors and parties,” said Pierre Esperance, executive director of a national network of human rights groups.

Meanwhile, Haiti’s largest opposition party, Verite, said Tuesday it was withdrawing from the process, refusing to “endorse an electoral mess that will enhance instability and dictatorship,” according to its leader Joseph Genard.

The record number of candidates, will square off in Haiti’s October 25 first-round vote.