Eleanor Finch
Cuba is a one-party state, with the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) being the only official political party. The PCC is enshrined in the Cuban Constitution as the leader of society and the superior driving force of the state. The country's political system is not considered democratic by political scientists, as the government does not allow free and fair voting. Elections in Cuba are held at the municipal, provincial, and national levels, but campaigning is not permitted, and there are no opposition candidates.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of political parties | 1 |
| Name of the party | Communist Party of Cuba |
| Type of government | One-party state |
| Election type | Nonpartisan |
| Number of candidates for 470 seats in the National Assembly | 470 |
| Opposition candidates | No |
| Voting age | 16 years and older |
| Suffrage | Universal |
| Voting type | Mandatory |
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What You'll Learn
Cuba is a one-party state
The electoral process in Cuba is firmly controlled by the CPC, and elections are not considered democratic by political scientists. While universal suffrage is granted to Cubans aged 16 and older, and voting is mandatory, the government does not allow free and fair voting. There are no opposition candidates, and campaigning is not permitted. Instead, photographs and biographies of pre-approved candidates are publicly posted, and voters can choose to endorse or reject the nominated slate.
The nomination of candidates for election is controlled by the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution, which are organized by the CPC. These committees select municipal delegates, who in turn choose provisional delegates and members of the National Assembly. The National Assembly is Cuba's unicameral legislature, currently composed of 470 seats. Each seat has only one candidate, and voters can select individual candidates, select every candidate, or leave every question blank. However, there is no option to vote against the candidates, and the outcome of the elections is often a foregone conclusion.
Despite the lack of democratic elections in Cuba, the country has high voter participation rates. The Cuban government promotes its electoral system as inclusive and unifying, steering clear of the perceived divisiveness of party politics. However, critics argue that the system does not represent the plurality of Cuban society and that citizens are unable to choose between different alternatives and visions.
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The Communist Party of Cuba is the only legal political party
Cuba is a one-party state, with the Communist Party of Cuba being the only legal political party. This single-party system is enshrined in Article 5 of the Cuban Constitution, which describes the Communist Party as the "superior driving force of the society and the state".
The Communist Party of Cuba was officially formed in 1965 when Fidel Castro merged three revolutionary organizations: the 26th of July Movement, the Popular Socialist Party, and the 13th of March Revolutionary Directorate. All other political parties were dissolved and banned, and no opposition candidates were permitted to stand for office. This ban on campaigning and the nomination of candidates by committees closely tied to the Communist Party means that elections in Cuba are not considered democratic by political scientists.
The electoral process in Cuba is controlled by the current government, with candidates for the National Assembly being vetted and whittled down by committees with ties to the Communist Party. While voters can technically select individual candidates on their ballots, there is only one candidate for each seat, and all candidates are ultimately nominated by these committees. This means that voters are essentially only endorsing the slate of candidates put forward by the Communist Party, with no opportunity to vote against them.
The Communist Party of Cuba has been dominated by Fidel Castro and his brother, Raúl Castro, since its founding. In 1997, Fidel anointed Raúl as his successor, and in 2008, Raúl became the President of Cuba and the leader of the Communist Party. The Communist Party's leading institution is the Politburo, whose members are selected by the party congress from the Central Committee. The Politburo sets the policies for both the party and the state of Cuba.
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Elections in Cuba are not considered democratic
Cuba is a one-party state, with the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) as the only official political party. Elections in Cuba are held at the municipal, provincial, and national levels, but they are not considered democratic because the government does not allow free and fair voting. The electoral process is firmly controlled by the current Cuban government, and there is no possibility for citizens to choose between different alternatives or visions.
The Communist Party of Cuba, organized by Fidel Castro and others in 1965, is the official state party. In 1965, the 26th of July Movement, Popular Socialist Party, and 13th of March Revolutionary Directorate were merged into a single Communist Party under Fidel Castro. All other political parties were dissolved and banned. The PCC's first congress was held in Havana in 1975, when members approved a new constitution (ratified in a national referendum the following year) that established it as the sole legal political entity in the country. Under the constitution of 1976, it became the only party permitted to function in Cuba, and in the revised constitution of 1992, it was defined as the "organized vanguard of the Cuban nation."
The electoral law of the Republic of Cuba (Law 72 of 1992) organizes, directs, and validates the electoral processes. Suffrage is universal for Cubans aged 16 years and older, excluding citizens who have applied for emigration. Voting in elections in Cuba is legally mandatory, as it is throughout Latin America, and voter participation is invariably high. However, there are no opposition candidates, and campaigning is not permitted. Instead, photographs and biographies of candidates are publicly posted. Voters can select individual candidates on their ballot, select every candidate, or leave every question blank, but they do not have the option to vote against candidates.
The nomination of candidates for election to the Municipal Assemblies is done by nominating assemblies, in which all voters are entitled to propose candidates. In practice, however, these district assemblies are usually organized by the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution or the Communist Party, making the selection of an opponent of the regime highly unlikely. The Communist Party firmly controls the nomination of provincial and national assembly candidates through Candidacy Commissions. These commissions are made up of electoral subjects, including mass organizations such as the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution, the Federation of Cuban Women, and the National Association of Small Farmers.
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No campaigning is permitted in Cuban elections
Cuba is a one-party state, with the Communist Party of Cuba as the only official political party. The country's constitution enshrines the Communist Party as the "superior driving force of the society and the state". Because of this, Cuba's elections are not considered democratic by political scientists, as the government does not allow free and fair voting.
In line with the country's undemocratic nature, no campaigning is permitted in Cuban elections. Instead, photographs and biographies of candidates are publicly posted. Voters can then select individual candidates on their ballot, select every candidate, or leave every question blank, but they do not have the option to vote against candidates.
The electoral process is firmly controlled by the current Cuban government, with the nomination of provincial and national assembly candidates entrusted to Candidacy Commissions, which are firmly controlled by the Communist Party. These commissions are made up of organisations that allow the active participation of all popular sectors, combined with a plurality of interests, and are called by law to propose candidates. However, in practice, these district assemblies are usually organised by the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution or the Communist Party, making the selection of a regime opponent highly unlikely.
In 2015, two dissident candidates (one independent and one member of the outlawed Independent and Democratic Cuba Party founded by Huber Matos) stood for election to a Havana local council. They were the first openly declared opposition candidates to seek office since 1959, but both were defeated.
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The outcome of the 2023 National Assembly election
Cuba is a one-party state with the Communist Party of Cuba being the only official political party. The 2023 National Assembly election in Cuba witnessed a record number of women, young people, and Black people running as candidates. The election saw a decrease in voter turnout, with 75.87% of 8.1 million eligible voters participating, down from 82.90% in 2018. The election results led to a change in the government, with 470 candidates elected for the 470-seat National Assembly of People's Power, reduced from 605 seats in 2018. The percentage of women in the Assembly increased to 55.74%.
The 2023 elections were significant as they were the first to be held under the country's new Constitution, adopted by referendum in 2019. The Communist Party of Cuba continued to be recognized as the "superior driving force of society and the State" in the new Constitution. The elections followed a period of economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, with high inflation and shortages of essential goods and services.
The electoral process in Cuba has been criticized by political scientists and organizations such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for lacking free and fair voting. The nomination of candidates is controlled by committees firmly influenced by the Communist Party, and campaigning is not permitted in the traditional sense. Instead, candidates engage directly with voters through neighborhood visits and assemblies.
The 2023 National Assembly election in Cuba reflected the country's unique political system and the ongoing challenges of ensuring democratic representation and participation within a one-party state framework.
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Frequently asked questions
Only one political party is allowed to campaign in Cuba, the Communist Party of Cuba. Cuba is a one-party state, and the single-party system is enshrined in Article 5 of the Cuban Constitution.
The Communist Party of Cuba was founded in 1925 by Moscow-trained members of the Third International. In 1944, the party was renamed the People's Socialist Party and retained this name until 1961. In 1965, Fidel Castro merged the 26th of July Movement, Popular Socialist Party, and 13th of March Revolutionary Directorate into a single Communist Party.
No, all other political parties were dissolved and banned in 1965. In 2015, two dissident candidates stood for election to a Havana local council, but both were defeated.
No, political scientists do not consider elections in Cuba to be democratic due to the lack of free and fair voting. The electoral process is firmly controlled by the Cuban government, and there are no opposition candidates.
Suffrage is universal for Cubans aged 16 and older, and voting in elections is mandatory. The Communist Party of Cuba is defined in the Constitution as the "superior driving force of society and the state." The party is not an active subject to the electoral process and does not propose candidates directly. Instead, candidates are nominated by committees firmly controlled by the Communist Party.
