Faces of Costa Rica

Government: Who's in Charge?

Costa Rica's democratic national government is made up of three separate branches: legislative, executive and judicial.

Executive Branch

Presidential elections take place every four years and the president is elected by popular vote. No president can serve in the presidency for more than four years -- incumbent presidents and ex-presidents cannot be voted into office. The president appoints two vice-presidents and 20 cabinet members. The president must be elected with at least 40 percent of the popular vote or a runoff election is held. Abel Pacheco was elected to office in 2002 in the first runoff election since the 1948 constitution was implemented. In 2006, Oscar Arias Sanchez was elected to the presidency for the second time.

Legislative Branch

Costa Rica has a unicameral legislative assembly with 57 seats. Representatives are elected by popular vote. The legislature has six permanent commissions which oversee agriculture and natural resources, economic affairs, government and administration, budgeting and taxation, judicial affairs and social affairs. Legislators currently come from four different political parties: Social Christian Party (PUSC), National Liberation Party (PLN), Citizen's Action Party (PAC), Liberation Movement Party (PML) and Costa Rica Renewal Party (PRC).

The legislative assembly can override presidential decisions by two-thirds majority vote and is also responsible for the declaration of war and selection of Supreme Court Judges. Legislators can be re-elected, but only after spending one term out of office.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch is responsible for administering justice in Costa Rica, and is made up of the Supreme Court, appellate courts and trial courts. There are 22 magistrates, selected by the legislative assembly every eight years. They can be reelected.

The judicial branch also includes three permanent magistrates in the Special Electoral Tribunal, which is responsible for overseeing elections. Appointees serve for six years and are selected by the legislative assembly, one every two years.