Sixteen members of the 30-seat Haitian Senate voted to reject Bernard Gousse, a controversial lawyer and former justice minister. The vote capped a rancorous day-long debate in the upper house of the impoverished nation's parliament.
It was the second rejection of Martelly's choice for premier in less than two months and marked a messy start to his young presidency. His first choice for the prime minister's post, economist and businessman Daniel Rouzier, was rejected by the chamber of deputies on June 21.
Martelly, a former pop star, came to office with no previous political experience. He was elected in March on populist promises to turn Haiti into a Caribbean success story after decades of crushing poverty and dictatorship. Martelly's background as an irreverent and successful star of Haiti's catchy Kompa carnival music helped bolster his support among voters fed up with politics as usual in Haiti.
Concern about political deadlock in Haiti is shared by major donor countries led by the United States, which has said a stable government in Port-au-Prince is key to forging ahead with future reconstruction and development projects.
Haiti include effectively fighting a cholera epidemic that has killed nearly 6,000 people since October, and providing shelter from life-threatening winds, floods and landslides as the annual hurricane season moves into full force later this summer.