 The split between Aristide and Préval produced a dangerous political deadlock, and the government was unable to organize the local and parliamentary elections due in late 1998.In January 1999, Préval dismissed legislators whose terms had expired – the entire Chamber of Deputies and all but nine members of the Senate, and Préval then ruled by decree.In May 2000 the Haitian legislative election, 2000 for the Chamber of Deputies and two-thirds of the Senate took place.