Costa Rica

Costa Rica and International IDEA

Costa Rica is one of the founding members of IDEA. 

IDEA maintains a regional office in San José, Costa Rica

Costa Rica, a List Proportional Representation democracy, collaborates closely with IDEA and provides funding to the overall work of the Institute.

A large part of IDEA’s funding comes from its member states “core contributions”, which finance the entire work programme of the Institute: Programme of Operations 2007-09. Each of IDEA’s member states is therefore involved and instrumental in IDEA’s work to promote democracy worldwide.

Highlights of International IDEA’s activities in relation to Costa Rica: 

• Women in Parliament (1998) publication, written by parliamentarians and researchers examining the obstacles women face getting into parliament, how to overcome such barriers and ways in which they can make a greater impact once they enter parliament. Costa Rica is included as a case study.

Friends of International IDEA

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Sánchez was chairing the Nominating Committee of International IDEA in 1995. 

Facts and figures about democracy in Costa Rica

Using IDEA’s worldwide democracy and elections databases, learn more about:

• Comparative data on election systems, laws, management and administration
• Voter turnout in Costa Rica 1948 – 2006
• Information on electoral quotas for women in Costa Rica
  
• Laws on funding of political parties in Costa Rica