Regional Cubans vote in legislative elections, with all eyes on turnout

Cubans have headed to the polls to vote for the 470 legislators who will represent them in the National Assembly, the island country’s highest legislative body.

Polling stations opened at 07:00h local time (11:00 GMT) Sunday, and more than eight million people are eligible to vote.

By 11:00h local time (15:00 GMT), turnout had reached 42 per cent, according to Cuba’s National Electoral Council. Polls were scheduled to close at 18:00h (22:00 GMT).

Cuba’s Government, saddled by shortages, inflation and growing social unrest, has encouraged unity, calling on citizens to vote together in a broad show of support for the communist leadership.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who voted in his hometown of Santa Clara just after sunrise on Sunday, said citizens would have the last word.

“Some people may put

More than eight million voters will be chose National Assembly candidates for five-year terms the difficult economic situation ahead of their willingness to vote, but I don´t think it will be a majority,” Diaz-Canel told reporters.

There are 470 candidates running for 470 seats, with no Opposition challengers and no campaigning. Most candidates for the Cuban Parliament are members of the Communist Party, the only legal party on the island.

The legislators will be in charge of nominat-