National Party (Haiti)

The National Party (Parti National; PN) was an economically nationalist majority Black Haitian political party in Haiti. It was founded in the early 1870s by Septimus Rameau during a time of political reorganization following the civil war of the 1860s. They stood in direct opposition to the Liberal Party, which was dominated by the Mulatto elite. Both of these parties are considered as the nation's first modern and nationwide political parties.

During its early years, the National Party struggled, as its rival, the Liberal Party, held a commanding majority in parliament during the presidency of Nissage Saget (1869–1874). However, the National Party managed to undermine their dominance through strategic politicking, including a parliamentary boycott. This allowed the Nationals' candidate, Michel Domingue, to become president in 1874. Domingue's presidency was largely ceremonial, and real power laid with his nephew, Rameau. As Domingue's administration became increasingly despotic, many Liberals fled the country.

In 1876, these exiled Liberals mounted a successful invasion in Jacmel to reclaim control, overthrowing President Domingue and installing Boisrond-Canal as provisional president. Canal would later assume full presidential authority. The Liberal Party soon split into two: the "Canalistes" who supported President Canal and the "Bazelaisistes" who supported Jean-Pierre Boyer Bazelais, one of the founders of the Liberal Party. This infighting proved disastrous and allowed the Nationals to regain power with the election of Lysius Salomon in 1879.

Under Salomon's leadership, the Nationals reached the height of their influence and dominated until 1888, surviving many violent attempts to oust them, including the Liberal Insurrection of 1883, during which Boyer-Bazelais was killed.

After Salomon's term was extended through a constitutional amendment, widespread unrest led to a separatist movement in the north, led by General Seide Thelemanque. Salomon resigned under pressure, and F.D. Légitime assumed control of the south. When Thelemanque died, Florvil Hyppolite succeeded him and eventually led a rebellion to reunify Haiti in 1889. Although Hyppolite had fought with National backing, he declared himself a Liberal by the time he assumed office, making the divisions increasingly blurry and irrelevant.

Ultimately, there is no consensus among Haitian writers on whether or not the Liberal Party and the National Party truly survived the deaths of their respective leaders – Boyer-Bazelais in 1883 and Salomon in 1888.