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https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cuba-assembly/cuba-aims-to-build-socialism-not-communism-in-draft-constitution-idUSKBN1KB0ML

A draft of Cubas new constitution omits the aim of building communism, recognizes private property and opens the door to gay marriage, in a sign of changing times, although it keeps the Communist Party as the guiding force of the one-party system.

Cubas national assembly is this weekend debating a draft of the document to replace its Soviet-era constitution, reflecting political, social and economic changes designed to make its brand of socialism sustainable and implementing new ones too.

Once lawmakers have approved the draft, it will be submitted to a popular consultation. The final document, which could include changes, will then be put to a national referendum.

The current draft omits a clause in the 1976 constitution on the ultimate aim of building a communist society, instead simply focusing on socialism.

This does not mean we are renouncing our ideas, the president of the National Assembly Esteban Lazo was quoted as saying by state-run media. Cuba had simply moved into a different era following the fall of the Soviet Union, he said.

We believe in a socialist, sovereign, independent, prosperous and sustainable country.

Laying out the new constitution to lawmakers on Saturday, the secretary of the council of state, Homero Acosta, said it included the recognition of private property, something long stigmatized by the Communist Party as a vestige of capitalism.

That change should give greater legal recognition to the micro businesses that have flourished in the wake of market reforms to the ailing state-run economy that have fostered a small but vibrant private sector and attempted to rake in more foreign investment.

Cubas current constitution only recognizes state, cooperative, farmer, personal and joint venture property.

The draft also appears to strengthen political institutions and create a more collective leadership structure, after nearly 60 years of rule by late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro and his younger brother Raul Castro.

Castro, then 86, handed over the presidency in April to his mentee Miguel Diaz-Canel, 58, although he remains head of the Communist Party until 2021. He also heads the constitutional reform commission.

Under the new constitution, the president will no longer be the head of the council of state and council of ministers.

Instead it creates the position of prime minister and designates the president of the assembly also as head of the council of state, Cubas highest executive body.

One of the other top items at Saturdays assembly was the recognition in the draft constitution of marriage as between two individuals rather than a man and a wife.

The draft also sets an age and term limits for presidents, stating they must be under 60 when they first take office and can carry out no more than two consecutive five-year terms.

We've seen this trend in other countries that were previously run by communists, like Romania. Little by little they let in capitalism, see that it revitalizes their economy and increases the standard of living, and then abandon Marx entirely.

Shame it took Cuba this many decades to finally approach the 21st century, but this is a good step in the right direction.