| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Asamblea Legislativa / Legislative Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
5 February 2006 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all seats in the Legislative Assembly on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
Parliamentary elections were held in parallel with presidential elections on 5 February 2006.
The previous elections in 2002 saw an increase in representation for the rightist Liberty Movement (PML
7 seats) and the newly created Citizen's Action Party (PAC
13 seats)
while the ruling Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) and the main opposition National Liberation Party (PLN) lost ground
respectively winning 19 and 17 seats.
The main issue at the 2006 elections was the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States. Costa Rica is the only Central American country which has not yet ratified the CAFTA. Most of the main presidential candidates supported ratification of the CAFTA
while the PAC presidential nominee
Mr. Ottón Solís
argued for a partial renegotiation of the treaty to protect Costa Rica's small-scale farmers.
Voting took place in a peaceful manner. A total of 65.13 per cent of the country's 2.1 million eligible voters turned out at the polls
the lowest turnout in Costa Rican history. Final results of the parliamentary elections gave 25 seats to the PLN and 17 to the PAC
followed by the PML with six seats; while the ruling PUSC saw its number of seats reduced to five. The newly-elected Legislative Assembly held its first session on 1 May 2006 and elected Mr. Francisco Antonio Pacheco Fernández of the PLN as its new Speaker.
In the presidential contest
pre-election polls had predicted a comfortable victory for the outgoing President
Mr. Oscar Arias (PLN). However
when polling closed
Mr. Arias and Mr. Solís were neck and neck and a recount was ordered. On 7 March 2006
the Supreme Electoral Court released the final results
confirming Mr. Arias' victory with 40.80 per cent of the votes
1.1 per cent more than for Mr. Solís. He was sworn in for a second term on 8 May 2006. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 5 February 2006 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
2'156'572
1'404'509 (65.13%)
36'237
1'368'272 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| National Liberation Party (PLN) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Citizens' Action Party (PAC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberty Movement (PML) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Accessibility Without Exclusion (PASE) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Costa Rican Renovation Party (PRC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| National Union Party (PUN) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Broad Front (Frente Amplio) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Number of women |
|
|
|
| National Liberation Party (PLN) |
25
|
11 |
|
|
|
| Citizens' Action Party (PAC) |
17
|
8 |
|
|
|
| Liberty Movement (PML) |
6
|
1 |
|
|
|
| Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) |
5
|
2 |
|
|
|
| Accessibility Without Exclusion (PASE) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Costa Rican Renovation Party (PRC) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| National Union Party (PUN) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Broad Front (Frente Amplio) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
35
22
38.60%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (16.03.2006)
http://www.tse.go.cr/elecciones_f2006/iprincipal2.htm
Legislative Assembly (01.01.2008) |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
