Costa Rica

Legislative Assembly

Political system
Presidential system
Structure of parliament
Unicameral
IPU membership
Yes
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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)
06 Feb 2022
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
30 Apr 2022
Timing of election
Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections
01 Feb 2026
Number of seats at stake
57
Scope of elections
Full renewal

Candidates

Number of parties contesting the election
25
Total number of candidates
1,499
Number of male candidates
762
Number of female candidates
737
Percentage of women candidates
49.2%

Voter turnout

Registered voters
3,541,908
Voters
1,853,719
Voter turnout
52.3%

Results

About the election

As in the previous elections, no party won an outright majority in the 57-member Legislative Assembly. The National Liberation Party (PLN), which nominated former President José María Figueres as its presidential candidate, came first with 19 seats. It took nearly twice as many seats as the Democratic Social Progress Party (PPSD), which nominated former finance minister and official of the World Bank, Rodrigo Chaves, as its presidential candidate. Four other parties took fewer than 10 seats each.

In the presidential elections, no candidate secured the required 40% of the vote to be elected in the first round, which is held in parallel with the parliamentary polls. In the run-off elections held on 3 April, Mr. Chaves (PPSD) defeated Mr. Figueres (PLN). On 8 May, Mr. Chaves was sworn in as the new President, replacing Mr. Carlos Alvarado Quesada of the Citizens' Action Party (PAC), which did not win any seats in 2022.

The 2022 elections followed the global COVID-19 pandemic, which severely affected the country’s tourism industry. They were held amid rising unemployment and a soaring budget deficit.

Number of parties winning seats
6
Percentage of parties winning seats
24.0%
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition
33.3%
Alternation of power after elections
Yes

Parties or coalitions winning seats

Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group Total
National Liberation Party (PLN) 19
Democratic Social Progress Party (PPSD) 10
Christian Social Unity Party (USC) 9
New Republic Party (NR) 7
Broad Front (FA) 6
Progressive Liberal Party (LP) 6
Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
30
Number of women elected
27
Percentage of women elected
47.4%
Women Directly Elected
27
Other notes on the elections

Note on the expected date of next elections:

In accordance with Article 150 of the Electoral Code and Article 107 of the Constitution, parliamentary elections are held on the first Sunday of February every four years.

Sources

New legislature

Total number of men after the election
30
Total number of women after the election
27
Percentage of women after the election
47.4%
First-term parliamentarians
50
Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
87.7%
Date of the first session
01 May 2022

First Speaker of the new legislature

Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
Rodrigo Arias Sánchez Sánchez (Male)
Date of birth: 26 Jun 1946
Political party
National Liberation Party (PLN)
Date of election
01 May 2022

Historical data for IPU membership

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Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No