National Assembly of People's Power

National Assembly of People's Power
Name	National Assembly of People's Power
Native name	Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular
House type	Unicameral
Established	1976
Leader1 type	President
Leader1	Esteban Lazo Hernández
Party1	Communist Party of Cuba
Members	470
Last election	2018
Meeting place	Capitolio Nacional, Havana

National Assembly of People's Power is the unicameral legislative body of the Republic of Cuba, constituted under the 1976 Constitution and reconfirmed by the 2019 Constitution. Its sessions, delegates, and legal framework intersect with institutions such as the Communist Party of Cuba, the Council of State, and provincial and municipal assemblies in Havana, Santiago de Cuba, and other provinces. The Assembly's role in lawmaking, national planning, and leadership selection links it to historic events and figures in Cuban politics, including the Cuban Revolution, the leadership of Fidel Castro and Raúl Castro, and relations with the United States, Venezuela, and Russia.

History

The Assembly was created during the institutional reorganization following the Cuban Revolution, formalized by the 1976 Constitution and influenced by models from the Soviet Union, People's Republic of China, and other socialist states. Early sessions involved leaders such as Fidel Castro and officials associated with the 26th of July Movement and the Revolutionary Armed Forces (Cuba). During the 1990s Special Period after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Assembly enacted measures affecting trade relations with Venezuela under Hugo Chávez, remittances and tourism partnerships with Spain and Canada, and reforms debated alongside the International Monetary Fund and World Bank pressures. Constitutional revisions in 1992 and 2019, the latter introducing a President and Prime Minister roles akin to models seen in France and Mexico, reshaped the Assembly's formal powers and relationships with the Council of State (Cuba) and the Council of Ministers (Cuba).

Composition and Membership

The Assembly comprises 470 deputies elected from provincial constituencies including Havana Province, Santiago de Cuba Province, Matanzas Province, and Camagüey Province. Deputies often include officials from the Communist Party of Cuba, members of mass organizations such as the Federation of Cuban Women, the Central de Trabajadores de Cuba, and representatives from academic institutions like the University of Havana. Prominent long-serving deputies have included figures connected to Fidel Castro, Raúl Castro, and provincial leaders. The Assembly's leadership is headed by a President and Vice Presidents who coordinate sessions and represent the body to institutions like the Council of State (Cuba), the National Electoral Commission (Cuba), and foreign legislatures including the National Assembly of Venezuela and the State Duma.

Powers and Functions

Constitutional powers ascribed to the Assembly include enacting laws, approving national plans and budgets, ratifying international treaties such as agreements with Russia and China, and electing key officials including members of the Council of State (Cuba), the President, and the Prime Minister. The Assembly also exercises oversight over state organs and approves long-term development programs that affect sectors involving entities like the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry and national enterprises engaging with partners from Brazil and Norway. It has authority to amend the Constitution, an action undertaken during the 2019 reform process that addressed matters such as property recognition, foreign investment frameworks, and municipal decentralization debated with input from the Constitutional Commission of Cuba.

Electoral System

Deputies are elected in single-member districts through nominations managed by the Candidacy Commission, which includes representatives of mass organizations like the Federation of University Students and the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution. Voter registration and turnout are organized by institutions including the National Electoral Commission (Cuba), with elections characterized by high reported participation and processes distinct from multiparty contests seen in United Kingdom or United States systems. International observers from bodies such as the Organization of American States and delegations from the European Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union have engaged with Cuba over electoral transparency and procedures.

Legislative Process

Legislative proposals originate from deputies, the Council of State (Cuba), the Council of Ministers (Cuba), ministries such as the Ministry of Economy and Planning and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment, and mass organizations. Draft laws undergo committee review, debate in plenary sessions in venues like the Capitolio Nacional, Havana, and are enacted by majority votes. The Assembly ratifies international treaties affecting relations with countries like Spain, China, and Venezuela and approves economic measures including foreign investment regimes influenced by agreements with Panama and Mexico. Emergency decrees and regulatory frameworks may involve coordination with agencies such as the Central Bank of Cuba.

Committees and Internal Organization

Permanent commissions cover domains represented by ministries and institutions: commissions on Budget and Finance, Foreign Relations, National Defense, and Social Policy engage actors linked to the Ministry of the Interior (Cuba), the Ministry of Public Health (Cuba), and the Ministry of Education (Cuba). Committees vet legislation, conduct oversight of entities such as the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples and state-run enterprises with external partners like Turkish Airlines and Air Europa. Internal organization includes the Bureau of the Assembly, session scheduling, and coordination with provincial Assemblies of People's Power in provinces such as Holguín Province and Las Tunas Province.

Criticisms and International Relations

Critics from organizations including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and some European Parliament members argue that the Assembly's electoral methods, party plurality, and legislative independence differ from practices in parliaments such as the United States Congress, British Parliament, and the French National Assembly. Supporters and allied states including Venezuela, Russia, and China emphasize the Assembly's role in national sovereignty, social programs, and public health responses exemplified during events like the COVID-19 pandemic and cooperative initiatives with the Pan American Health Organization and Médecins Sans Frontières. Diplomatic parliamentary exchanges occur with legislatures such as the National People's Congress and the Bolivian Plurinational Legislative Assembly within broader bilateral relations and multilateral forums like the United Nations General Assembly.

Category:Politics of Cuba