Isabella Carter
Cubans voted to ratify a new socialist constitution in February 2019. The new constitution makes significant changes to the country's political, social and economic order, including further legitimising foreign investment and moving towards a mixed economy. It also enshrines the one-party socialist system as irrevocable. According to the Cuban electoral commission, voter turnout reached 84 per cent, with 87 per cent of the votes in favour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of ratification | 24 February 2019 |
| Voter turnout | 84% |
| Votes in favour | 87% |
| Votes against | 9% |
| Blank or spoiled ballots | 4.5% |
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What You'll Learn
- The new constitution was ratified by 87% of voters
- The new constitution was ratified by a lesser margin than the 97.6% ratification of the current one
- The new constitution makes significant changes to the country's political, social, and economic order
- The new constitution further legitimises foreign investment
- The Cuban government engaged in an unprecedented campaign to assure an overwhelmingly positive vote
The new constitution was ratified by 87% of voters
Cubans overwhelmingly ratified a new constitution in February 2019. The new constitution makes significant changes to the country's political, social and economic order. It enshrines the one-party socialist system as irrevocable while instituting modest economic and social changes.
The referendum was the first time in 43 years that Cubans had the opportunity to express either support or opposition to a proposal that fundamentally restructures aspects of the Cuban economy and political system. According to the Cuban electoral commission, voter turnout reached 84 per cent, with 87 per cent of the votes in favour.
Cuba's best-known dissident and pioneer blogger, Yoani Sanchez, who runs an online newspaper from a barrio known for its support of the government, wrote that she braved insults and yelling to witness the count in her precinct of 400 yes votes, 25 no votes and four blank ballots. A report from a district in central Villa Clara province had the new constitution ratified by 414 votes versus 66 opposed, and another from a district in westernmost Pinar del Rio reported 298 yes votes and 18 no votes.
The size of the vote suggests that, whatever misgivings or frustrations Cubans had with the new Constitutional proposal, they saw it as a step in the right direction.
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The new constitution was ratified by a lesser margin than the 97.6% ratification of the current one
Cubans have ratified a new constitution, which makes significant changes to the country’s political, social, and economic order. The new constitution was ratified by a lesser margin than the 97.6% ratification of the current one.
The new constitution was ratified by 86.85% of voters, with 9% opposed and 4.5% spoilt or left blank. This is a much closer result than the 97.6% ratification of the current constitution. The new constitution enshirnes the one-party socialist system as irrevocable while instituting modest economic and social changes.
The Cuban government engaged in an unprecedented campaign to assure an overwhelmingly positive vote on the new constitution. This was a way to legitimize both the market-oriented economic reforms underway and the new leadership of President Miguel Diaz-Canel and the post-revolutionary generation.
The new constitution was the first time in 43 years that the Cuban people had the opportunity to express either support or opposition to a proposal that fundamentally restructures aspects of the Cuban economy and political system. Voter turnout reached 84%, with 87% of the votes in favour.
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The new constitution makes significant changes to the country's political, social, and economic order
Cubans voted to ratify a new constitution on 24 February 2019, which made significant changes to the country's political, social, and economic order. The new constitution enshrined the one-party socialist system as irrevocable while instituting modest economic and social changes.
The Cuban government engaged in an unprecedented campaign to assure an overwhelmingly positive vote on the new constitution as a way to legitimise the market-oriented economic reforms underway and the new leadership of President Miguel Diaz-Canel. The proposals further legitimised foreign investment and were another step toward a mixed economy and modern society.
Cuban officials said changes in government structure aimed to improve accountability and administration of the state-run economy. The new constitution was ratified by 87% of voters, with 9% opposing ratification and 4.5% spoiling or leaving ballots blank.
This was the first time in 43 years that the Cuban people had the opportunity to express either support or opposition to a proposal that fundamentally restructures aspects of the Cuban economy and political system.
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The new constitution further legitimises foreign investment
Cubans overwhelmingly ratified a new constitution in February 2019. The new constitution makes significant changes to the country's political, social, and economic order, including further legitimising foreign investment.
The new constitution was ratified by 86.85% of voters, with 9% opposing ratification and 4.5% spoiling or leaving ballots blank. This was the first time in 43 years that Cubans had the opportunity to express support or opposition to a proposal that fundamentally restructures aspects of the Cuban economy and political system.
The Cuban government engaged in an unprecedented campaign to assure an overwhelmingly positive vote on the new constitution as a way to legitimise market-oriented economic reforms and the new leadership of President Miguel Diaz-Canel. The new constitution further legitimises foreign investment by reducing the risk and changing the rules of doing business in Cuba, according to foreign businessmen and diplomats.
The proposals in the new constitution do not reduce risk or change the rules of doing business in Cuba by themselves. However, they are seen as another step toward a mixed economy and modern society. Cuban officials say that changes in government structure aim to improve accountability and administration of the state-run economy.
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The Cuban government engaged in an unprecedented campaign to assure an overwhelmingly positive vote
Cubans overwhelmingly ratified a new constitution in February 2019. The new constitution enshrined the one-party socialist system as irrevocable while instituting modest economic and social changes. The Cuban government engaged in an unprecedented campaign to assure an overwhelmingly positive vote on the new constitution. This was done as a way to legitimise the market-oriented economic reforms underway and the new leadership of President Miguel Diaz-Canel and the post-revolutionary generation.
Cuba's best-known dissident and pioneer blogger, Yoani Sanchez, braved insults and yelling to witness the count in her precinct of 400 yes votes, 25 no votes and 4 blank ballots. The independent online newspaper El Toque asked readers to send in local tallies, a dozen of which showed overwhelming support for ratification. A report from a district in central Villa Clara province had the new constitution ratified by 414 votes versus 66 opposed, and another from a district in westernmost Pinar del Rio reported 298 yes votes and 18 no votes.
According to the Cuban electoral commission, voter turnout reached 84 percent (slightly higher than in Cuba's last election cycle in April 2018), with 87 percent of the votes in favour. The size of the vote suggests that, whatever misgivings or frustrations Cubans had with the new Constitutional proposal, they saw it as a step in the right direction.
The new constitution was expected to be ratified by Cubans, but by a lesser margin than the 97.6 percent ratification of the current one. Cuban officials said that changes in government structure aimed to improve accountability and administration of the state-run economy.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Cubans ratified a new constitution on 24 February 2019.
The new constitution makes significant changes to the country's political, social, and economic order. It further legitimises foreign investment and is another step towards a mixed economy and modern society. It also enshrines the one-party socialist system as irrevocable.
Voter turnout was 84.4% (or 84%, according to another source) with 86.85% of voters ratifying the charter, 9% opposing ratification and 4.5% spoiling or leaving ballots blank.
