Costa Rica

Legislative Assembly

Political system: Presidential system
Structure of parliament: Unicameral
IPU membership: Yes

Election results

Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections.

Background

Election date(s): 02 Feb 2014
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: No information available
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Number of seats at stake: 57
Scope of elections: Full renewal

Election summar(ies)

For historical elections, data is provided in summary documents in PDF or HTML format.

2073_14.htm

Candidates

Number of parties contesting the election: 15
The number of women candidates is not available from authoritative sources.: Yes

Results

About the election: The National Liberation Party (PLN), in power since 2006, remained the largest force in the 57-member Legislative Assembly, taking 18 seats, down from 24 previously. The Citizens' Action Party (PAC) took 13. The Broad Front (FA) increased its share from one to nine seats.

Costa Ricans abroad were allowed to vote for the first time in the parliamentary and presidential elections. According to the constitution, President Laura Chinchilla Miranda (PLN) could not run for a second consecutive term.

The centrist PLN pledged to reduce poverty in the country. Its presidential candidate, Mr. Johnny Araya, the former Mayor of San José, argued that Costa Rica did not want extremism, neither from the left nor the right. The Citizens' Action Party (PAC) endorsed Mr. Luis Guillermo Solís, a former PLN member. The PAC promised to alleviate inequality, improve public infrastructure and fight corruption. The FA's presidential candidate, 36-year-old José Maria Villata, was the sole FA member in the outgoing legislature. The FA promised to pay for sex-change operations under the public health system.

None of the 13 presidential candidates secured 40 per cent of the votes to be elected in the first round. Run-off elections the first since 2002 - are due to be held on 6 April between Mr. Solís (PAC) and Mr. Araya (PLN).
Number of parties winning seats: 9
Percentage of parties winning seats: 60.0%
Alternation of power after elections: Yes
Number of parties in government: 1
Names of parties in government: Citizens' Action Party (PAC)

Members elected, by sex

Number of men elected: 38
Number of women elected: 19
Percentage of women elected: 33.3%
Women Directly Elected: 19
Sources: Legislative Assembly (05.03.2014, 07.05.2014, 01.01.2017)

http://www.tse.go.cr/declaratorias.htm

New legislature

Total number of men after the election: 38
Total number of women after the election: 19
Percentage of women after the election: 33.3%
First-term parliamentarians: 57
Percentage of first-term parliamentarians: 100.0%
Date of the first session: 01 May 2014

First Speaker of the new legislature

Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature: Henry Manuel Mora Jiménez (Male)
Political party: Citizens' Action Party (PAC)