Haitian President Jovenel Moise on Sunday named a former presidential candidate, Jean Ceant, as the successor to former Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant, who resigned in July.

"After consultations with the Presidents of the two branches of Parliament, I made the choice of citizen @jeanhenryceant as new Prime Minister," Moise said on Twitter.

Ceant, who heads a political organization called Renmen Ayiti, was a candidate for the presidential elections in 2010 and 2016. The 61-year-old's nomination has to be approved by parliament.

Lafontant resigned over the handling of violent protests last month when the government announced a controversial plan to raise the prices of major fuels by 38 to 51 percent.

Though the government responded by suspending the price hikes, the protests continued, resulting in the death of at least seven people.