Cuba calls general elections on March 26, 2023 to renew the parliament

The State Council of Cuba announced on Thursday the call to general elections on March 26, 2023 to renew Parliament, which in turn must elect the President of the Republic.

“The Council of State, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic and Law No. 127 Electoral Law, of July 13, 2019, agreed to summon the voters of the Republic to national elections,” he said in a brief release.

The electoral cycle began on November 27 with the municipal elections and will culminate with the election of the president in the second half of 2023.

Citizens came on Sunday to elect 12,427 municipal delegates (councillors) by direct and secret vote, in the country of 11 million inhabitants.

The second round of the municipal elections it will be held next Sunday in 925 circumscriptions, where no candidate reached more than 50% of the votes.

Last Sunday’s elections had a participation of 68.58% of a register of 8.3 million, the lowest percentage since 1976, when this electoral system was established.

The illegal opposition called for abstentionism due to the impossibility of competing with candidates favorable to the government, trying to capitalize on the discontent generated by the biggest economic crisis in three decades and the worst inflation since the triumph of the revolution in 1959.

Los municipal delegates elected officials will nominate who among them will make up 50% of the National Assembly of Popular Power (Parliament), currently 605 legislators, but it is expected to be reduced.

The other 50% will be nominated by a commission of representatives of the main social organizations, all related to the ruling Communist Party (sole), which does not postulate, but verifies the elections.

The current legislature elected the President of the Republic, Miguel Diaz-Canelwho could be re-elected for another five years, as authorized by the Constitution.

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