How Democracy Works in Cuba

If you live in any of these countries, and by these countries I really mean this country,

it may come as a shock to you that Cuba is not a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by a single person.

In fact, Cuba has a very interesting system of participatory democracy that I’m going

to explain to you in this video.

Thank you to the Swedish-Cuban Organisation in Gothenburg for helping me with this video.

It’s been very helpful to be able to talk to Cubans actually born and raised in Cuba.

Alright, let’s start off with the Cuban Constitution.

The Cuban Constitution was a result of thousands of broad discussions in advisory meetings,

involving more than 6 million citizens, which was practically the entire adult population

of Cuba at the time.

The draft for this Constitution was to be either rejected or accepted via a popular referendum.

The referendum had turnout of 98%, and out of those 98%, 97,7% voted to accept the

new constitution.

This almost unanimous agreement was a result of the previous broad discussions, which resulted

in 16,000 amendment suggestions.

Cuba has 169 municipal assemblies, and each one has an election every two and a half years.

Every fifth year, three months after the municipal elections, there is an election to the Cuban

parliament - the National Assembly of People’s Power - as well as to the 14 province assemblies.

All Cuban elections have had turnouts of over 95% ever since 1976.

It is not a requirement for you to be a member of the Communist party of Cuba to vote or

to be elected to any position, and the Communist Party does not propose, support nor elect

any candidates.

In fact, the Party doesn’t participate in the elections at all.

“No one here has gone to an election and been presented a ballot paper and told, these

are the Party members for whom you have to vote, nor is anyone nominated for being a

Party member, this element can perhaps be invoked as a reflection of leadership, fitting

conduct, good performance, or a vocation for public service, but not because the condition

of Party member is established as a requirement to enter public office in our laws,” says

Dr. José Luis Toledo Santander.

Anyone over the age of 16 can vote and can be nominated to be a candidate for election

in one of the 169 Municipal Assemblies or one of the 14 Provincial Assemblies, however

you must be at least 18 years old to become a candidate for a seat in the National Assembly.

Neither money nor political parties have a place in the nomination process.

Instead, individuals directly nominate those who they think should be candidates.

As a result, the Cuban Parliament has representatives from across society, including an exceptionally

high proportion of women.

48.9%, to be exact.

In comparison, the percentage of women in the United States House of Representatives

is 19.4%.