Politics of Costa Rica

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Costa Rica
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Costa Rica

President Óscar Arias Legislative Assembly Political parties Elections Presidential 2006 Parliament 2006 Provinces Foreign relations
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Politics of Costa Rica takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Costa Rica is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Legislative Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Costa Rica is a republic with a strong system of constitutional checks and balances.

1 Political conditions
2 Executive branch
3 Political parties and elections
4 Judicial branch
5 Footnotes

[edit] Political conditions

Costa Rica long has emphasized the development of democracy and respect for human rights. Costa Rica has avoided the violence that has plagued Central America; it is seen as an example of political stability in the region, and is referred to as the "Switzerland of the Americas". Until recently, the country's political system has contrasted sharply with many of its Central American and Caribbean neighbors; it has steadily developed and maintained democratic institutions and an orderly, constitutional scheme for government succession. Several factors have contributed to this tendency, including enlightened government leaders, comparative prosperity, flexible class lines, educational opportunities that have created a stable middle class, and high social indicators. Also, because Costa Rica has no armed forces, it has avoided the possibility of political intrusiveness by the military that some neighboring countries have experienced. Costa Rica experienced several unusual days of demonstrations and civil disturbance in early 2000 due to protests over legislation that would have permitted private sector participation in the telecommunications and electrical power sectors. These sectors currently are controlled by state-owned monopolies. The legislation was withdrawn, but the underlying question of the appropriate role of the state in the provision of public services remains sensitive.

Costa Rica's leading political parties are Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN, social democratic), Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC, Reformist, largely but not exclusively left and center left), Partido Movimiento Libertario (ML, libertarian) and the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC, christian democratic). Other minor parties include Partido Renovación Costarricense (PRC, Christian) and Fuerza Democrática (FD, left). Several new parties participated for the first time in the 2006 elections, including Partido Unión Patriótica, Partido Unión para el Cambio, Partido Patria Primero, and Partido Alianza Democrática Nacionalista but their results were mostly poor.

In the February 1998 national election, PUSC candidate Miguel Ángel Rodríguez won the presidency over PLN nominee Jose Miguel Corrales. President Rodriguez assumed office 8 May 1998. The PUSC also obtained 27 seats in the 57-member Legislative Assembly, for a plurality, while the PLN gained 23 and five minor parties won seven. Social Christian in philosophy, the PUSC generally favors neoliberalism, conservative fiscal policies, and government reform. President Rodriguez pledged to reduce the country's large internal debt, privatize state-owned utilities, attract additional foreign investment, eliminate social welfare programs, and promote the creation of jobs with decent salaries. The reforms he tried to promote found opposition from several parties, including his own, and he asserted several times the country was "ungovernable". In particular, an attempt by the Legislative Assembly to approve a law that opened up the electricity and telecommunication markets (contolled by a monopoly of the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity - ICE) to market competition, known as the "Combo" law was met with strong social opposition. Supported by both major parties at the time, the PLN and PUSC, as well as by President Rodriguez, the first of three required legislative votes to approve the Combo law provoked the largest protest demonstrations the country had seen since 1970. The government quickly resolved to shelf the initiative. President Rodríguez's approval would reach an all-time low, and he was indicted by the Attorney General after leaving office on corruption charges.

In the 2002 national election, a new party founded by former PLN Congressman and government Minister Ottón Solís captured 26% of the vote, forcing a runoff election for the first time in the country's history. Abel PACHECO was elected President, under a national unity platform, but continuing most of the neoliberal and conservative policies of Miguel Ángel Rodríguez. This election was also important because new parties won several seats in Congress, more than ever. The PUSC obtained 19 seats, PLN 17 seats, PAC 14 seats, PML 6 seats and PRC one seat.

During the year 2004, several high profile corruption scandals shattered the foundations of PUSC. Two former Presidents from the party, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez and Rafael Ángel Calderón were arrested on corruption charges and are currently waiting for the investigation to end and trial to begin. Also involved in scandals has been José María Figueres, former President from PLN and former head of the World Economic Forum.

The 2006 national election was expected to be a landslide for former President (1986-1990) and PLN's candidate Óscar Arias, but it turned out to be the closest in modern history. Although polls just a week before the election gave Arias a comfortable lead of at least 12% (and up to 20%), preliminary election results gave him only a .4% lead over rival Ottón Solís and prompted a manual recount of all ballots. After a month long recount and several appeals from different parties, Arias was declared the official winner with 40.9% of the votes against 39.8% for Solís.

[edit] Executive branch

Óscar Arias Sánchez, Nobel Peace Prize, President of Costa Rica (2006-present)

Executive responsibilities are vested in a president, who is the country's center of power. There also are two vice presidents and a 15-member cabinet that includes one of the vice presidents. The president and 57 Legislative Assembly deputies are elected for 4-year terms. A constitutional amendment approved in 1969 limits presidents and deputies to one term, although a deputy may run again for an Assembly seat after sitting out a term. The prohibition was officially recognized as anti-constitutional in April 2003, allowing Óscar Arias to run for President a second time in the 2006 Costa Rican presidential elections. The offices of the Comptroller General of the Republic, the Procurator General of the Public, and the Ombudsman exercise autonomous oversight of the government. The Comptroller General's office has a statutory responsibility to scrutinize all but the smallest contracts of the public sector and strictly enforces procedural requirements.

Governors appointed by the president head the country's seven provinces, but they exercise little power. There are no provincial legislatures. Autonomous state agencies enjoy considerable operational independence; they include the telecommunications and electrical power monopoly, the nationalized commercial banks, the state insurance monopoly, and the social security agency. Costa Rica has no military but maintains domestic Police and armed National Guard forces securing its interests.

Main office holders
Office	Name	Party	Since
President of Costa Rica	Óscar Arias Sánchez	PLN	8 May 2006

[edit] Political parties and elections

The following election results include names of political parties. See for additional information about parties the List of political parties in Costa Rica. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Costa Rica.

The electoral process is supervised by an independent Supreme Electoral Tribunal – a commission of three principal magistrates and six alternates selected by the Supreme Court of Justice.

Main article: Costa Rican presidential election, 2006

[discuss] – [edit]
**Summary of the 5 February 2006 Costa Rica presidential election results**
Candidates	Votes	%
Óscar Arias - National Liberation Party (Partido Liberación Nacional)	664,551	40.92
Ottón Solís - Citizens' Action Party (Partido Acción Ciudadana)	646,382	39.80
Otto Guevara - Libertarian Movement Party (Partido Movimiento Libertario)	137,710	8.48
Ricardo Toledo - Social Christian Unity Party (Partido de Unidad Socialcristiana)	57,655	3.55
Antonio Álvarez Desanti - Union for Change Party (Partido Unión para el Cambio)	39,557	2.44
Jose Manuel Echandi Meza - National Union Party (Partido Unión Nacional)	26,593	1.64
Juan Jose Vargas Fallas - Homeland First Party (Partido Patria Primero)	17,594	1.08
Other parties	33,950	2.09
Total (Turnout 65.4 %)	1,623,992	100.0
Final results according to TSE

Main article: Costa Rican parliamentary election, 2006

[discuss] – [edit]
**Summary of the 5 February 2006 Costa Rica parliamentary election results**
Candidates	Votes	%	Seats
National Liberation Party (Partido Liberación Nacional)	589,731	36.54	25
Citizens' Action Party (Partido Acción Ciudadana)	409,030	25.34	17
Libertarian Movement Party (Partido Movimiento Libertario)	147,934	9.17	6
Social Christian Unity Party (Partido de Unidad Socialcristiana)	126,284	7.82	5
Costa Rican Renovation Party (Partido Renovación Costariccense)	55,798	3.46	0
National Union Party (Partido Unión Nacional)	40,280	2.5	1
Union for Change Party (Partido Unión para el Cambio)	37,994	2.35	0
Homeland First Party (Partido Patria Primero)	26,438	1.64	0
National Rescue Party (Partido Rescate Nacional)	32,909	2.04	1
Access without Exclusion (Accesibilidad sin Exclusión)	25,690	1.59	1
Broad Front (Frente Amplio)	17,751	1.10	1
Other parties	104,122	6.45	0
Total (Turnout 65.2 %)	1,613,961	100.0	57
Final results according to TSE

[edit] Judicial branch

Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of Justice, composed of 22 magistrates selected for renewable 8-year terms by the Legislative Assembly, and subsidiary courts. A Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, established in 1989, reviews the constitutionality of legislation and executive decrees and all habeas corpus warrants.