See also special areas
At a glance
Structure of Parliament: Unicameral
Are there legislated quotas...
- Yes for the Single/Lower House?
- Yes at the Sub-national level?
Are there voluntary quotas...
- Yes adopted by political parties?
Costa Rica
(Republic of Costa Rica)
Single/Lower house
Asamblea Legislativa / Legislative Assembly
| Total seats: | 57 |
| Total women: | 22 |
| % women: | 39% |
| Election year: | 2010 |
| Electoral system: | List PR |
| Quota type: | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Election details: |
IDEA Voter Turnout
IPU Parline |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas |
Electoral law | There is a 40 percent quota for women in all public elections (Electoral Code, 2nd Transitory Section). A new electoral law (no 8765 of September 2009) states the principle of parity (el principio de paridad) for all elections after 2010, including alternation on the list (the zipper-system): "All nominations to election will comply with the mechanism of alternating by sex (woman-man or man-women) in a way that two persons of the same sex cannot be subsequent on the nomination list" (art. 2). The law also demands that the statures of the political parties include rules on gender equality for the party as a whole and for the electoral lists (art.52). |
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance: | Electoral law | The electoral authorities reject lists that do not comply with the rules. |
| Rank order/placement rules: | Electoral law | Women must be placed in 40 % of the electable positions on party lists, where "electable position" is a seat the party won in the previous election (Resolution 1863 of 1999). |
Sources | Additional information | Contact us
Last updated 2010-08-24
Quota at the Sub-National Level
| Quota type: | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas |
Constitution | There is a 40 percent quota for women in all public elections (Electoral Code, 2nd Transitory Section). A new electoral law (no 8765 of September 2009) states the principle of parity (el principio de paridad) for all elections after 2010, including alternation on the list (the zipper-system): "All nominations to election will comply with the mechanism of alternating by sex (woman-man or man-women) in a way that two persons of the same sex cannot be subsequent on the nomination list" (art. 2). The law also demands that the statures of the political parties include rules on gender equality for the party as a whole and for the electoral lists (art.52). |
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance: | Electoral law | The electoral authorities reject lists that do not comply with the rules. |
| Rank order/placement rules: | Electoral law | Women must be placed in 40 % of the electable positions on party lists, where "electable position" is a seat the party won in the previous election (Resolution 1863 of 1999). |
Sources | Additional information | Contact us
Last updated 2010-08-23
Voluntary Political Party Quotas*
| Party | Acronym | Official Name | Details, Quota provisions |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Liberation Party | PLN | Partido Liberación Nacional | PLN alternates men and women candidates on electoral lists (Article 85 and 108, party statutes; Jager Contreras 2008, p 15-19). Nominations to be defined by provincial election in National Plenary Assembly, is to respect the representation of at least 40% for each gender. (Article 85, Partido Liberacion Nacional Estatuto). |
| Christian-Social Unity Party | PUSC | Partido Unidad Socialcristiana | PUSC alternates men and women candidates on electoral lists (Article 65, party statutes; Jager Contreras 2008, p 15-19). In the integration of all party structures, no more than 60% of its members shall be of the same gender, except for the District Assemblies and the Women's Front. (Article 10, Partido Unidad Social Cristiania Estatuto). The configuration of all candidate lists to elected office shall be held in such a way that no more than 60% of the members are of the same gender. (Article 61, Partido Unidad Social Cristiania Estatuto). |
| Citizen Action Party | PAC | Partido Accion Ciudadana | 50 percent of the candidates must be women, placed at every second place (zipper system) on electoral lists (Article 36, party statutes; Jager Contreras 2008, p 15-19). |
| Libertarian Movement Party | PML | Partido Movimiento Libertario | At least 40% of the seats to be allocated, in a possible government of the Libertarian Movement Party, will be occupied by women. Future internal party structures shall be formed with at least 40% women. The positions to elective office that are presented by the party must be integrated of at least 40% of women, who must be placed in electable positions. (Article 72, Partido Movimiento Libertario Estatuto). |
* Only political parties represented in parliament are included. In case of legislated quotas, only political parties that have quotas beyond the national quota legislation are presented in this table.
Sources | Additional information | Contact us
Last updated 2010-08-23
