National Assembly of People's Power
The Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (Spanish for the National Assembly of People's Power ) is the name given to the Parliament of Cuba according to the Cuban Constitution of 15 February 1976. Parliament is not freely chosen but determined in sham elections for unity lists, opposition representatives are not in Parliament represented and the influence of the Parliament on the political decisions is in fact low. The power lies with the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC ).
The current 614 members are determined in one-person formally constituencies. In each case, only allowed a candidate, an election takes place. The election period lasts 5 years, the last elections were held on 20 January 2008. The Parliament meets in two sessions a year. In the meantime, the 31 -member Council of Ministers shall perform the function of the legislature. A separation of powers is not given. Current Parliament President Esteban Lazo is (since 2013).
History
Prior to the Cuban revolution of 1959 was in Cuba a bicameral legislature consists of the Senate and House of Representatives. The last elections to this House were the elections of November 1, 1956, at which half of the deputies was elected to both houses.
Over the next 20 years no parliament existed. In his Manifesto of July 1957 Fidel Castro announced that the Cuban Constitution of 1940 -insert them after the victory of the revolution and to hold free elections as soon as the revolution was successful. In April 1959, after he had attained power, he talked to postpone the elections and in a speech on May 1, 1960, he explained the idea of liberal democracy and elections for " dean dent " and renounced the legitimacy of his regime by elections. The introduction of a soviet democracy was rejected with a reference to the associated bureaucracy. Since 1965, Cuba was a one-party system and the Communist Party, the only permitted political force.
The Castro regime justified the abandonment of democratic ( and even pseudo-democratic ) institutions so that the political decision-making process on Cuba by the grassroots activity of the population in the mass organizations (trade unions, the Committee for the Defense of the Revolution, Cuban Women's Federation, student organizations, etc.) would be determined.
1974, the Cuban government decided to carry out (sham ) elections initially only for the province of Matanzas. In 1975, the first provincial parliament was determined in the province of Matanzas. The experience gained there led to the first elections for the People's Power at the municipal and provincial level on 10 October and on 17 October 1976., As in the people's democracies usual, the Regima reported high voter turnout (95% of Cubans took over 16 years, in part ) and approval rates.
On 2 December 1976, the first elections were held for the National Assembly of People's Power, which in turn confirmed the State Council.
The Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular ( National Assembly of People's Power ) than Cuban Parliament in accordance with Article 70 of the Cuban Constitution formally constituent and legislative power. In practice, it serves the nod of the Castro's specifications and the party.
The deputies are nominated by the regimented masses and student organizations ( Committee for the Defense of the Revolution, Women's Association, Central Union, student organization, etc.). There is only one candidate for the "choice". The confirmation of the candidates will be in equal, free, secret and direct election by the voting population. You do not run the election campaign and do not own policy programs before.
The National Assembly meets only twice a year in ordinary sessions. At the request of one third of the delegates extraordinary sessions of the National Assembly must be convened. In practice, however, this does not occur. Special meetings may also be held by the State Council.
The National Assembly of People's Power determines the State Council. The State Council President is head of state and head of government. The State Council is formally accountable to the People's Power. The People's Power deliberates and decides on all laws, the policy guidelines and the state budget. The proportion of women in the Cuban parliament with 43% in 2011, the highest of all the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition, the proportion of women has been continually expanded over the years. In 2000, he was 28%, in 2003 36% and in 2008 it is 43%.
Just as the national parliament, the deputies of the provincial and local councils are determined in sham elections and have in the centralized structure of the " Democratic centralism " on little political influence
The Asamblea Provincial del Poder Popular ( Provincial Assembly of People's Power ), there are in all 14 provinces as well as on the Isla de la Juventud. Your delegates will be determined for five years. on paper is their main function in the preparation of development plans for each province and in the control of the provincial administrations.
The Asambleas Municipales del Poder Popular ( municipal assemblies of People's Power ) to be elected to the 169 municipalities ( municipios ). The elections are held every two and a half years.
The right to vote have all Cuban citizens over 16 years with the exception of prison inmates and people who have been recognized by the courts for non compos mentis. For the National Assembly to hold elective office with 18 years begins.
Composition of the National Assembly VII legislature ( 2008 election )
In this election, a candidate has been precisely positioned for each seat to be filled. Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon.
374 (61%) of the delegates were born after January 1, 1959, and 134 (22%) were younger at that time as 10 years. 106 delegates (17%) have the pre-revolutionary Cuba consciously experienced.
Speaker of Parliament
- Blas Roca Calderío 1976-1981
- Flavio Bravo 1981-1990
- Juan Escalona Reguera 1990-1993
- Ricardo Alarcón de Quesada 1993-2013
- Esteban Lazo (2013 -present)
Parliamentary seat
The Asamblea Nacional has for their rare meetings shall not have its own building, but meets in the multi-functional convention center Palacio Convention Center ( PALCO ) in an exclusive part of the western district of Playa. After completion of the currently ongoing renovation, the Parliament will be back in the Capitolio at home, one of the largest and most prominent building in the city center. There met until the victory of the revolution in 1959 dissolved Parliament the old republic.