Cuban legislative election, 2008
Encyclopedia
A parliamentary election to the National Assembly of People's Power was held in Cuba
on 20 January 2008. According to the Cuban electoral system, one candidate was nominated for each of the 614 seats in the Assembly, and candidates were elected if they received at least 50% of the vote.
The date of the election was announced on 20 November 2007. It was considered uncertain whether the ailing Fidel Castro
would run for the Assembly, which he had to do in order to continue as President
; it emerged in early December that he had been nominated for a seat. Since his illness began in 2006, Raúl Castro
had been acting President.
María Esther Reus, the President of the National Electoral Commission and Minister of Justice, announced the results of the election on 24 January 2008. Turnout in the election was placed at 96.89%, with 8,231,365 voters participating; 95.24% of the votes cast (7,839,358) were valid. 91% of voters (7,125,752) cast a united ballot for all candidates, while 9% (713,606) chose to vote only for certain candidates. Of the invalid votes, 3.73% (306,791) were blank and 1.04% (85,216) were spoiled. The newly elected Assembly met for the first time on 24 February.
Raúl Castro was re-elected from the 2nd Eastern Front with 99.37% of the vote and Fidel Castro was re-elected from the 7th District of Santiago de Cuba
with 98.26% of the vote. Vice-President Carlos Lage and President of the Assembly Ricardo Alarcón respectively won their seats with 92.40% and 93.92% of the vote.
On 24 February 2008, the National Assembly began sitting for its new term, and Raúl Castro was elected President
. Alarcón was elected as President of the National Assembly, while Jaime Crombet Hernández Vaquero was elected as its Vice-President and Miriam Brito was elected as its Secretary.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
on 20 January 2008. According to the Cuban electoral system, one candidate was nominated for each of the 614 seats in the Assembly, and candidates were elected if they received at least 50% of the vote.
The date of the election was announced on 20 November 2007. It was considered uncertain whether the ailing Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
would run for the Assembly, which he had to do in order to continue as President
President of Cuba
--209.174.31.28 18:43, 22 November 2011 The President of Cuba is the Head of state of Cuba. According to the Cuban Constitution of 1976, the President is the chief executive of the Council of State of Cuba...
; it emerged in early December that he had been nominated for a seat. Since his illness began in 2006, Raúl Castro
Raúl Castro
Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz is a Cuban politician and revolutionary who has been President of the Council of State of Cuba and the President of the Council of Ministers of Cuba since 2008; he previously exercised presidential powers in an acting capacity from 2006 to 2008...
had been acting President.
María Esther Reus, the President of the National Electoral Commission and Minister of Justice, announced the results of the election on 24 January 2008. Turnout in the election was placed at 96.89%, with 8,231,365 voters participating; 95.24% of the votes cast (7,839,358) were valid. 91% of voters (7,125,752) cast a united ballot for all candidates, while 9% (713,606) chose to vote only for certain candidates. Of the invalid votes, 3.73% (306,791) were blank and 1.04% (85,216) were spoiled. The newly elected Assembly met for the first time on 24 February.
Raúl Castro was re-elected from the 2nd Eastern Front with 99.37% of the vote and Fidel Castro was re-elected from the 7th District of Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
with 98.26% of the vote. Vice-President Carlos Lage and President of the Assembly Ricardo Alarcón respectively won their seats with 92.40% and 93.92% of the vote.
On 24 February 2008, the National Assembly began sitting for its new term, and Raúl Castro was elected President
Cuban presidential election, 2008
An indirect presidential election was held in Cuba on 24 February 2008, in which the National Assembly of People's Power elected a new President of Cuba and the members of the Council of State. The election followed the January 2008 parliamentary election...
. Alarcón was elected as President of the National Assembly, while Jaime Crombet Hernández Vaquero was elected as its Vice-President and Miriam Brito was elected as its Secretary.