Cuba’s election outcome is open to interpretation
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Significance
With three in four Cubans still casting a ballot, however, opposition calls for a boycott had limited effect. In Cuba’s one-party system, abstention is widely considered the only way of expressing opposition to the Communist Party via the ballot box. These election results simultaneously confirm the apparent erosion of support for the government, and its enduring ability to mobilise displays of public loyalty.
Impacts
- With the elections complete, power cuts and shortages will again become more common.
- Enduring economic hardship will see outward migration continue, weighing on election turnouts.
- Citizens’ perceived ability to voice disgruntlement at the ballot box may help to ease risks of more overt political dissent.