Type Unicameral Last election February 2, 2014 | Seats 57 | |
 | ||
President Antonio Álvares Desanti (PLN) Political groups PLN (18)
PAC (13)
FA (9)
PUSC (8)
PML (4)
Others (5) | ||
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.
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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.
Directory
Following the 2014 legislative election, the Citizens' Action Party was able to form an alliance with Broad Front and the Social Christian Unity Party. The three parties together amounted to thirty seats, thus giving them control of the legislature. The alliance broke a year later, with PAC only receiving the support of Broad Front and PUSC joinning an opposition-lead alliance headed by PLN that gave PUSC the presidency of Congress. This was the first time that historical rivals PLN and PUSC join together in Parliament. The following year PLN's candidate was endorsed by the oppositional alliance whilst PAC and FA voted by their respective ballots.
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.