Cuba’s parliamentary elections have yielded few surprises in the past. This year looked to be the same.

Over eight million people, around 95 percent of eligible voters, came out to vote on Jan. 20, choosing from among 614 candidates to fill 614 parliamentary positions. But the most important result of this election is yet to come.

The new National Assembly is required to approve the executive branch of the government, which includes Fidel Castro’s role as head of state.

This marks the first time that Castro’s undisputed role as Cuba’s leader has been, well, disputed. Castro’s age, 81, and his highly publicized ill-health have caused both critics and supporters to wonder if he should continue on as leader.”Health-wise, it would be a good idea if he didn’t run (to continue as the Cuban leader) and politically it would be better for him,” said senior Ima Paz, an international studies major. “It would be better to leave on his own rather than have somebody overthrow or assassinate him.”

Castro yielded power to his younger brother, Raul, in July 2006 after undergoing intestinal surgery. He has yet to be seen in public since, leading many to believe he is frailer than official reports say.

Now the question posed to Castro and the newly elected representatives is whether or not Castro should continue as leader, or should he step aside.

Many Western experts say Castro’s retirement is inevitable.

“Handicapped and incapable of providing coherent leadership, the end of his historic reign is imminent,” former U.S. intelligence officer Brian Latell wrote, according to the Washington Post. “It seems all but certain that, voluntarily or not, he’ll vacate the Cuban presidency early this year.”

Others worry about Castro’s continuing impact on the government. Despite concerns, Castro himself stated in a letter printed by a Cuban state-run newspaper that he would not interfere with progress.

“My primary duty is not to cling to any position, and even less to obstruct the rise of younger persons.”

Hypothetically, if Castro chooses not to run for re-election, his brother Raul would be the heir apparent. Raul Castro has proven himself to be a competent and legitimate leader, but even he admits that the elder is consulted for all major political decisions.

Many feel that Castro will never be totally out of the political picture, but some feel that time has come to relinquish some control.

“For the betterment of the Cuban people and their future, it would be best if he takes a smaller role,” Paz said.

Another important factor for the future of Cuba’s political leadership is the generational gap between revolutionary-era Cubans and the younger generations. Many feel that if Fidel goes, a new era of younger leadership should emerge.

Fidel Castro’s legacy obviously is one that is domineering and omnipresent when speaking about Cuba or even Latin America in general. His potential retirement from the leadership position he’s held for 49 years is exciting, but also raises numerous questions.
A major question is how detached could Castro really be from the government? His image and his rhetoric, although absent recently, are still a huge part of Cuban politics.

In addition, his rule is the only one that a majority of Cubans have known. Could the transition from Castro to a yet-to-be-determined successor result in chaos or political strife?

The final question that is on the minds of many is whether or not Castro’s retirement as head of state will lead to the downfall of the communist system on Cuba?
While excitement is building and questions are being strewn about, as of print time Cuba’s head of state remains Fidel Castro. And only time and the new National Assembly will create anything different.