General Information
At stake in this election:
- 57 seats in the Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)
Description of government structure:
- Chief of State: President Abel PACHECO
- Head of Government: President Abel PACHECO
- Assembly: Costa Rica has a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) with 57 seats.
Description of electoral system:
- The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 4-year term.
- In the Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) 57 members are elected by direct popular vote to serve 4-year terms.
Main parties in the electoral race:
- Party: National Liberation Party (PLN) / Partido Liberación Nacional
- Leader: Francisco Antonio PACHECO Fernández
- Seats won in this election: 25
- Seats won in last election: 17
- Party: Citizen Action Party (PAC) / Partido Acción Ciudadana
- Leader: Epsy CAMPBELL Barr
- Seats won in this election: 17
- Seats won in last election: 14
- Party: Libertarían Movement Party (PML) / Partido Movimiento Libertario
- Leader: Guillermo MALAVASSI Vargas
- Seats won in this election: 6
- Seats won in last election: 6
- Party: Social Christian Unity Party / Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC)
- Leader: Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla
- Seats won in this election: 5
- Seats won in last election: 19
Population and number of registered voters:
- Population: 4,308,790 (2006)
- Registered Voters: 2,550,613 (November 2005 )
Gender Data:
· Female Population: 2,148,774 (2006)
· Is Costa Rica a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)
· Has Costa Rica ratified CEDAW: Yes (4 April 1986)
· Gender Quota: Yes
· Female candidates in this election: No
· Number of Female Parliamentarians: 22 (following 2006 elections)
· Human Development Index Position: 69 (2014)
· Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Low (2014)
Disability Data:
· Is Costa Rica a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)
· Has Costa Rica ratified CRPD: Yes (1 October 2008)
· Population with a disability: 646,318 (est.)