Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica


The Legislative Assembly forms the unicameral legislative branch of the Costa Rican government. The national congress building is located in the capital city, San José, specifically in El Carmen District in San José Canton.
The Legislative Assembly is composed of 57 deputies , who are elected by direct, universal, popular vote on a closed party list proportional representation basis, by province, for four-year terms. A 1949 constitutional amendment prevents deputies from serving for two successive terms, though a deputy may run for an Assembly seat again after sitting out a term. Currently a proposal to switch to a Mixed-member proportional representation based on the German system is under discussion.
ProvinceNumber of seatsPopulation
191,404,242
11885,571
7490,303
6433,677
5410,929
5386,862
4354,154

Directorate

Following the 2018 legislative election, the President of the Legislative Assembly was elected in the person of Carolina Herrera Hidalgo, a Citizens' Action Party's member with the support of most of the plenary except for the then unified National Restoration Party's group. The Directory's Secretary went to the National Liberation Party's deputy Luis Fernando Chacon and the Vice Presidency went to Social Christian deputy Inés Solís.

Parties in Legislative Assembly, 2018-2022


Premises

The Assembly meets in the Edificio Central 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.

History

The foundations of the Legislative Assembly date back to the establishment of various courts and congresses in New Spain. The modern assembly was created in the aftermath of the Costa Rican Civil War that deposed Teodoro Picado Michalski in 1948. José Figueres Ferrer headed a ruling junta that oversaw the election of a Constituent Assembly. Between 1948 and 1949, this Constituent Assembly created the Constitution of Costa Rica which lays forth the rules governing the assembly today.
During each four-year legislative session, various political parties have occupied majority, minority, and coalition caucuses in the assembly.

Central American Parliament

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