| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Asamblea Legislativa / Legislative Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
7 February 2010 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all seats in the Legislative Assembly on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
The 2010 elections were the first to be held under the new Electoral Code
passed by the Legislative Assembly on 29 July 2009. It notably reduced the amount of State funding for elections. By the next general election (due in 2014)
Costa Rica will introduce absentee voting and a 50 per cent quota for women in the Legislative Assembly
up from the current 40 per cent.
In the previous elections held in February 2006
the National Liberation Party (PLN) of President Oscar Arias won 25 of the 57 seats in the Legislative Assembly. The Citizens' Action Party (PAC)
which had endorsed Mr. Ottón Solís as its presidential candidate
took 17 seats. The Liberty Movement (PML) and the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) won six and five seats respectively while four small parties took one seat each. President Arias narrowly won over Mr. Solís in the presidential elections.
In a referendum held in October 2007
voters narrowly approved the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States. President Arias' PLN had advocated approval of the pact
while the PAC had opposed it. In November 2008
Costa Rica and China launched talks on a possible free trade agreement. In 2009
the country experienced its first recession in 27 years due to the global economic crisis. However
the economy is expected to recover in 2010.
Prior to the 2010 elections
President Arias
who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987
announced that he would retire from politics when his term ended in May 2010. In June 2009
the PLN elected the then Vice President
Ms. Laura Chinchilla
as its presidential candidate. The PLN pledged to continue President Arias' pro-business policies by expanding free trade pacts. Ms. Chinchilla promised more public spending to guarantee security.
The PAC's presidential candidate
Mr. Solís
pledged to review the terms of the CAFTA to protect the country's small farmers. The PAC claimed that the PLN government was incompetent
arguing that it had failed to reduce poverty despite having sufficient resources. Mr. Solís argued that Mr. Arias would continue to manage the country via Ms. Chinchilla.
The PML
which endorsed Mr. Otto Guevara as its presidential candidate
pledged to combat crime by introducing stiffer jail terms. Mr. Guevara promised to clamp down on wasteful spending in public health care and slash bureaucracy.
69.08 per cent of the 2.6 million registered voters turned out at the polls.
The final results gave 24 seats to the PLN and 11 to the PAC. The PML and the PUSC took nine and six seats respectively. The Accessibility Without Exclusion (PASE) party
which had won one seat in the 2006 elections
increased its share to four seats. Three small parties took one seat each.
Ms. Chinchilla won the presidential elections with over 46 per cent of the votes
becoming the first woman in Costa Rica to assume the post. She called on the PAC and the PML to join her government to solve the nation's problems.
On 1 May
the newly elected Legislative Assembly held its first session and elected Mr. Luis Gerardo Villanueva Monge (PLN) as its new Speaker. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 7 February 2010 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
2'580'780
1'782'878 (69.08%)
44'267
1'738'611 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| National Liberation Party (PLN) |
24
|
|
|
|
|
| Citizens' Action Party (PAC) |
11
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberty Movement (PML) |
9
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) |
6
|
|
|
|
|
| Accessibility Without Exclusion (PASE) |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| Costa Rican Renovation Party (PRC) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| National Restoration Party |
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 |
31 to 40 years
41 to 50 years
51 to 60 years
61 to 70 years
|
6
19
23
9
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
| Finance
management or business |
16 |
| Legal profession |
16 |
| Others |
10 |
| Education profession |
9 |
| IT/technology |
4 |
| Political party official |
4 |
| Physician
dentist |
3 |
| Economist |
2 |
| Journalism
broadcasting
media |
2 |
| Agriculture/farming |
1 |
| Social worker |
1 |
| Home-maker
care-taker |
1 |
|
| Comments |
Sources:
- Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (13.03.2010)
- Legislative Assembly (22.04.2010
22.03.2011)
Note on "Distribution of seats according to profession"
Some members have listed more than one primary occupation.
|
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
