The people decide in Cuban elections
In the next few hours, Cubans will be the protagonists of a new exercise in participatory democracy. With their free, equal, direct and secret vote, they will elect at the polls the deputies that will integrate the Tenth Legislature of the National Assembly of the People's Power of Cuba.
According to this Electoral Law, which establishes that Parliament is integrated at the rate of one deputy for every 30 thousand inhabitants, there are 470 who will make up this new legislature.
The commitment to work for the country’s advancement and the people’s well-being, values and prestige distinguish these men and women who will represent Cubans.
It is precisely the people who designate the candidates. It is a popular process in which civil society organizations participate, such as the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, the Federation of Cuban Women, the Workers Central Union of Cuba and the University Student Federation, among others.
Any citizen with legal capacity can be nominated or nominate whoever they understand will best represent them. This is one of the pillars of the Cuban political system, which states that the people freely and democratically propose and nominate their candidates, and not a political party.
Electoral processes in Cuba exclude all types of individual electoral propaganda, and any other action aimed at inclining the voters' decision in favor of or against any candidate.
The electoral authorities have indicated that despite having 135 fewer deputies, in this Tenth Legislature, all sectors of society are present, such as production and services, the press, education, health, science, culture, sports, students, religious, military and new players in the economy.
It is valid to highlight that although Cuba has the second Parliament in the world with the largest presence of women, in the new candidacy this figure is above the previous one, reaching 55.3% of women.
The participation of the new generations is also remarkable. According to the National Nominations Commission, 94 young people between the ages of 18 and 35 appear on the list that will be submitted to scrutiny this Sunday.
Also, a very important aspect is that among the 470 applicants, 221 are grassroots delegates of Popular Power, the primary level of government and who work directly with the voters and know the concerns and problems of the communities.
If elected, the new Parliament will have renewed 64% of its members. It will combine the work experience of a part of its members, with the new perspectives provided by those who face this great responsibility for the first time.
This Sunday, more than 23,000 polling stations will open their doors for Cubans to exercise their right to vote and elect the new members of the National Assembly of People's Power, which will have the challenge of sanctioning new laws and the implementation of those already approved.
