Cuba

A socialist state under the rule of law and social justice, democratic, independent, and sovereign, organized as a unitary and indivisible republic (Art. 1, Constitution of the Republic of Cuba).

The national territory is divided into 15 provinces and 168 municipalities, including the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud. The municipality is the local society, organized by law, constituting the primary and fundamental political-administrative unit of the national organization; it enjoys autonomy and legal personality for all legal purposes, with territorial extension determined by necessary neighboring, economic, and social relations of its population and national interests, aimed at meeting local needs. Municipalities have their own revenues and allocations from the Republic’s government based on the economic and social development of their territory and other state purposes, under the direction of the Municipal Assembly of Popular Power (Art. 168, Constitution of the Republic of Cuba).

The National Assembly of Popular Power is the supreme organ of state power. It is the sole constituent and legislative authority in the Republic. It is composed of deputies elected by free, equal, direct, and secret vote of the electorate, in proportions and procedures established by law. According to Art. 109 of the Constitution, among its powers is to elect the President and Vice President of the Republic. Currently, it is composed of 470 deputies.

Municipal government consists of two bodies. First, the Municipal Assembly of Popular Power, composed of delegates elected in each electoral district into which the territory is divided for electoral purposes, by free, equal, direct, and secret vote. Upon constitution, the Assembly elects from its members a President and Vice President, and appoints a Secretary in accordance with legal requirements and procedures. The President represents the State in the territorial demarcation. Second, the Popular Council, a local organ of Popular Power with representative character, vested with the highest authority in its functions. It is organized in cities, towns, neighborhoods, villages, and rural areas, composed of delegates elected from its districts, who elect their President from among themselves.

The President of the Republic is elected by the National Assembly of Popular Power from among its deputies for a five-year term and reports to it on their management. The National Assembly and Municipal Assemblies of Popular Power also have five-year terms.

Majoritarian electoral system.

Open lists.

The electoral constituency is the inhabited territory into which each municipality is divided for municipal elections. The number of constituencies per municipality is determined for each election by the Provincial Electoral Commission, based on the municipality’s population, so that the number of delegates to be elected is never fewer than thirty (Electoral Law, Art. 16.2). The National Assembly is composed of deputies elected at a ratio of one per 30,000 inhabitants of a municipality or a fraction greater than 15,000, which constitutes its electoral constituency (Electoral Law, Art. 21.1).

None.

Constitution of the Republic of Cuba and Law No. 132/2019 on the Organization and Functioning of the Municipal Assemblies of Popular Power and Popular Councils.

The National Electoral Council is the State organ responsible for organizing, directing, and supervising elections, popular consultations, plebiscites, and referendums called. It validates results and guarantees the reliability, transparency, speed, publicity, authenticity, and impartiality of democratic participation processes. It functions independently and reports to the National Assembly of Popular Power, informing the nation of results once each process concludes.