Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica

Legislative Assembly
Asamblea Legislativa de la Republica de Costa Rica
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Unicameral
Leadership
Henry Mora
Structure
Seats 57
Political groups

Government (13)

  •      PAC (13)

Opposition Parties

  •      PLN (18)
  •      FA (9)
  •      PUSC (8)
  •      PML (4)
  •      PRC (2)
  •      PASE (1)
  •      PRN (1)
Elections
Last election
 2 February 2014
Meeting place
San Jose, Costa Rica
Website
http://www.asamblea.go.cr/
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The Legislative Assembly (Spanish: Asamblea Legislativa) is the unicameral legislative branch of the government of Costa Rica. The national congress building is located in the city capital, San José, specifically in El Carmen District in San José Canton.

Composition

The Legislative Assembly is composed of 57 deputies (diputados), who are elected by direct, universal, popular vote on a proportional representation basis, by provinces, for four-year terms. A 1949 constitutional amendment prevents deputies from serving for two successive terms; however, a deputy may run again for an Assembly seat after sitting out a term.

2014 legislative election

Following the 2014 legislative election, the Citizens' Action Party was able to form a coalition with Broad Front and the Social Christian Unity Party. The three parties together amounted to thirty seats, thus giving them control of the legislature.[1]

Parties in Legislative Assembly, 2014-2018

Political Parties in, 2014-2018
Party Flag Party Name (English) Party Name (Spanish) Seats Percentage of Assembly
 National Liberation Party Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN) 18 31.5%
 Citizens' Action Party Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC) 13 22.6%
 Broad Front Frente Amplio (FA) 9 15.7%
 Social Christian Unity Party Partido Unidad Social Cristiana, (PUSC) 8 14.0%
 Libertarian Movement Partido Movimiento Libertario (PML) 4 7.0%
 Costa Rican Renovation Party Partido Renovación Costarricense (PRC) 2 3.5%
 National Restoration Party (Costa Rica) Partido Restauración Nacional (PRN) 1 1.7%
Accessibility without Exclusion Partido Accesibilidad sin Exclusión (PASE) 1 1.7%
 Christian Democratic Alliance Alianza Demócrata Cristiana (ADC) 1 1.7%

2010 legislative election

Elections were last held on February 2010. The former composition of the National Assembly is as follows:

Premises

The Assembly meets in the Edificio Central ("Central Building") located in the city centre of San José. Work began on this building in 1937, with the plan of having it serve as the new presidential palace. Since much of the building materials were imported from Germany and Czechoslovakia, however, the onset of the Second World War put a halt to the project. Work did not recommence until 1957, but by 1958 the legislature was installed and operating in its new premises.

Central American Parliament

Costa Rica is the only Spanish-speaking Central American country not to return deputies to the supranational Central American Parliament.

See also

References

  1. ↑ La Nacion, "30 diputados eligieron al economista Henry Mora, del PAC, comon presidente legislativo," May 1, 2014

External links