Costa Rica

Legislative Assembly

Political system
Presidential system
Structure of parliament
Unicameral
IPU membership
Yes

Oversight

Oversight tools

Parliament/Chamber has the power to summon members of the government
Yes

Sources: Constitution, art. 121(24)

Parliament/chamber has the power to summon senior government officials
Yes

Sources: Constitution, art. 121(24)

Parliament has the power to approve key government appointments
No
Parliament/chamber has the power to approve key government appointments
Yes
Number of written questions asked, per year
22,771
(2022)
Number of written questions answered by the government, per year
5,000
(2021)

Notes: Data represents the total number of queries made per year and answers received, but data is not collected on the number of those queries that were directed to Executive Power and the number of responses received from Executive power.

Percentage of written questions answered by the government, per year
Click for historical data
Parliament/chamber has power to carry out inquiries
Yes

Sources: Constitution of the Republic of Costa Rica, art. 121(23)

Number of parliamentary inquiries, per year
16
(2022)

Notes: Totals refer to investigative commissions.

Head of State and/or Government

Parliament’s role in the designation of the Head of Government
Parliament does not play a role

Sources: Constitution, art. 120(8)

The Head of Government is also the Head of State
Yes
Parliament’s role in the designation of the Head of State
Parliament does not play a role

Sources: Constitution, art. 138

Impeachment and confidence motions

Parliament is automatically dissolved when a motion of no confidence is adopted
No

Impeachment procedure

There is a procedure for parliament to dismiss or impeach the following persons/institution
The Head of State
Individual members of the Executive

Sources: Constitution, art. 121 (9)(10) and 151

No confidence processes

There is a procedure for parliament to express no confidence in the following persons/institution
Individual members of the Executive

Sources: Constitution, art. 121(24)

Historical data for IPU membership

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