Cuba: General elections announced for later this year

June 22, 2017
Issue 

The Cuban Council of State has called for the holding of general elections to decide delegates to both municipal and provincial assemblies, and to choose deputies to the National Assembly of People's Power.

According to the Cuban newspaper Granma, the first round of elections for municipal representatives will be held on October 22, and the second round runoff for candidates who have not obtained at least 50% of the vote will be held on October 29.

A date has not yet been officially set for the elections of the provincial assemblies and the National Assembly.

Municipal assembly representatives serve for a term of two-and-a-half years, whereas provincial assembly representatives and National Assembly delegates serve five-year terms.

Cuban assembly members elected at the local level hail from diverse sectors of society, and usually continue to work at their regular jobs in addition to their parliamentary duties, which are unpaid, volunteer positions.

Women currently comprise almost 50% of Cuba's assembly members, making Cuba third in the world for women's participation in parliament. The world average for national parliaments is a mere 20%.

[Abridged from TeleSUR English.]

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