Cuba is a republic with a centralised socialist system of government closely identified with the workers.

Political power rests with the National Assembly of People’s Power, which nominates the Council of Ministers, the highest executive body. Its executive committee is composed of the president, the first vice-president and the vice-presidents of the Council of Ministers. Since February 1993, the National Assembly of People's Power is composed of deputies elected by secret and direct popular vote, for periods of five years. It sits regularly twice a year. Between sittings of the Assembly the 31-member Council of State, elected from members of the National Assembly, takes over its function.

Administratively, Cuba is divided into 14 provinces and 169 municipalities; each of the latter has an elected municipal assembly. The members of the National Assembly elect provincial and regional executive committees.

LEGAL SYSTEM

Judicial power rests with the People's Supreme Court, which is elected by, and accountable to, the National Assembly. All judges, from the highest to the lowest, are elected by the respective Popular Power Assemblies; in other words, the Supreme Court judges are elected by the National Assembly; the provincial judges by provincial assemblies and the municipal judges by municipal assemblies.

The People's Supreme Court comprises a president, a vice president, and all professional and lay judges and is structured as follows: the Whole, the State Council, criminal, civil, administrative, labour, crimes-against-the-state and military courts.

The judicial system is based on the principle that all judges, professional or lay, are independent and are subject only to the law, and all professional or lay judges are elected, accountable and can be replaced.

STATE STRUCTURE

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PEOPLE'S POWER

The only body with Constitutional and Legislative powers:

The National Assembly, a one-chamber Parliament, originated from the nation-wide elections held in 1976, with a turn-out, in the first electoral round, of 95,2% of the voters and of 94,9% in the second round. Elected officials, according to the procedures established by law, met for the first time on December 2, that year, thus formally setting up the Cuban Parliament.

The Constitution of the Republic of Cuba, approved in a Referendum on February 14, 1976 when 98% of the voters turned out, empowered the National Assembly as the supreme body of State power, representing and expressing the sovereign will of all the people.

This is the country's only body with constitutional and legislative power. Its deputies are elected every five years, and among them they elect their President, Vice President and Secretary, as well as the 31 members of the Council of State, whose President is the Head of State and Government.

However, the Council of State must report to the National Assembly on all its work and tasks. The National Assembly has the power to amend the Constitution, pass, amend, and repeal laws, debate and approved national plans for economic development, the State budget, credit and financial programs, the guidelines for domestic and foreign policies, as well as to elect the Council of Ministers, the Presidency, the members of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General Office of the Republic.

It, too, hears the reports from national government and administration agencies and can also grant amnesties. Its members do not receive any economic or personal perquisites and carry out their legislative duties together with their usual work, for which they get their salaries.

The National Assembly convenes twice a year in ordinary periods of sessions. It has, though, permanent commissions to look after issues of legislative interest.

Among its permanent or temporary commissions are those in charge of issues concerning the economy, the sugar industry, food production, industries, transportation and communications, constructions, foreign affairs, public health, defense and interior order.

The National Assembly also has permanent departments which oversee the work of the Commissions, Local Assemblies of the People's Power, International Relations, Judicial Affairs and the Administration.

COUNCIL OF STATE

The Council of State represents the National Assembly of the People's Power (a one-chamber Parliament) when the legislative house is in recess, it puts into practice its agreements and does any other work the Assembly may assign it.

It:

The National Assembly elects the Council of State from among its members and the elected body must report to the legislative body on all its work.

The President of the Council of State is the Head of Government and State.

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

The Council of Ministers is Cuba's top executive and administrative body and as such it is the Republic's Government. It is chaired by the Head of State and Government and the First Vice President, and it includes other vice presidents, the secretary, the ministers and the administrators of national agencies.

The Council's most important body is its Executive Committee, chaired by the President, the First Vice President and the other vice presidents, who control and coordinate the work of the ministries and the administration's central bodies.

The Council is responsible of putting into practice the agreements the National Assembly reaches on the country's political, economic, cultural, scientific and social endeavor. It also proposes general plans for economic and social development and once passed by the National Assembly it directs and oversees their implementation.

It also directs the country's foreign policy and its relations with other governments; approves international treaties before passing them over for ratification of the Council of State; directs and oversees foreign trade; elaborates the State budget and watches over its implementation. The Council of Ministers enforces laws and puts into effect agreements the National Assembly reaches and the laws and decrees the Council State passes.

It must report periodically on all its work to the National Assembly.

The Council of Ministers is headed by its President, the First Vice President, six Vice Presidents, the Secretary, and 27 ministers.

PROVINCIAL AND MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLIES

Cuba is divided in 14 provinces, a special municipality under the supervision of the central government and 169 municipalities subordinate to their respective provincial authorities.

The Assemblies of representatives of the People's Power are the top political bodies of power of the State at municipal and provincial levels according to the Constitution.

Local officials have the highest authority for exercising their state functions. They hold local governments and through the bodies of power they create they run production and economic enterprises and the services, and try to meet the health, economic, cultural, educational and recreation needs of the people under their jurisdiction.

These provincial and municipal governments also contribute to the development and implementations of economic, social and cultural plans within their territories, which are not directly subordinate to them. By law, for the exercise of their functions the local Assemblies rely on the initiative and participation of the people and work closely with social and political organisations.

They are also represented in the People's Councils, set up in cities, towns, neighbourhoods, villages and rural areas, with the authority to carry out their functions in their localities and are an extension of the governing bodies of the People's Power.

The members of the People's Councils come from the representatives elected at the local constituencies, and they should elect their leaders. Members of the most important local organisations and institutions can also be part of them.

Once set up, the Municipal Assemblies (21 days after the representatives are elected) and Provincial bodies (15 days later) choose from among their members by secret and direct vote their presidents and vice presidents, who immediately take on their posts.

THE CUBAN ELECTORAL SYSTEM

The Cuban democratic system is regulated by Chapter XIV of the Constitution of the Republic, which establishes that in every election and referendum the vote is free, equal and secret. Each voter has the right to only one vote.

By law, all Cubans above 16 years have the right to vote, except the mentally impaired and those disqualified by a court.

All citizens, men and women, who fully enjoy their political rights can be elected, including the members of the Armed Forces and other military institutions.

For its political and administrative division, Cuba has 14 provinces and 169 municipalities. These are in turn divided into 13,865 electoral constituencies, which are the bases for the elections. The voters directly propose the candidates and elect their Representatives to the Municipal Assemblies of the People's Power.

Municipal elections are held every two and half years, while Provincial and National elections, every five years.