Costa Ricans voted for the president, as well as for 57 seats in the legislative assembly on February 1. The president-elect of the right, who advocates a tough fight against crime, will get a majority in the legislature and promises to «Deep and irreversible» Changes, of course.
Source: Source: americasquarterly.org
Laura Fernandez, protégé and former head of the administration of outgoing President Rodrigo Chavez, won about 48% of the vote in the presidential election, which avoided the second round.
Fernandez's victory in the election with a large number of candidates was convincing; her closest rivals scored about 33% and 5% of the votes, respectively. Her Party «Partydo Pueblo Soberano» (PPSO) secured a 31-seat majority in the Legislature, allowing it to unilaterally pass a number of laws but not enough to change the constitution.
Her campaign focused on rising crime rates in Costa Rica, a major concern for voters. «Change will be profound and irreversible.». . . . — She said in her victory speech, promising a new political era. «We have to build a third republic.». . . . — She said, calling the second Republic of Costa Rica, founded in 1948, «It's a matter of business.». . . .
AQ asked analysts to share their reactions and opinions.
Lucas Perelo, Associate Professor of Political Science at Atlantic University of Florida
Laura Fernandez's impressive victory on Sunday night allows for three key conclusions and leaves one open question. First, her victory signals that the movement of her mentor, President Rodrigo Chavez, remains. — It will continue to shape Costa Rica’s policy for years to come. Speaking under the slogan «continuidad del cambio» (continuity of change), Fernandez received 48% of the votes on high turnout, avoiding a second round — First time since 2010. Her party, conservative «Partydo Pueblo Soberano» (PPSO) also won 54% of the seats (31 of 57) in the unicameral Legislative Assembly.
Second, Fernandez's victory confirms that the political opposition failed to confront a destructive force «The Chavista». . . . Many of these parties, including «National Liberation Party». . . . «Coalition of Civil Agenda» And that's it. «The Wide Front»Voters are considered elitist and detached from life. If they plan to regain the presidency, they will have to work hard on rebranding and building coalitions.
Third, unlike Chavez, who blamed the Legislative Assembly for blocking his initiatives, Fernandez will have a ruling majority capable of pursuing key security and economic growth reforms. Its party still lacks the qualified majority (38 seats) needed to amend the constitution. However, this time the government will not be able to blame others if it fails to deliver on its promises to voters.
Finally, a big question that remains open, — What influence will Chavez have under the presidency of Fernandez? In Latin America, mentor and protégé relations often deteriorate after elections. We will soon find out if this applies to Costa Rica.
Archentina Artavia Medrano, Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and the National University of Costa Rica (UNA)
Fernandez will become the 50th president, the second woman to take office in Costa Rica, after Laura Cinchilla Miranda in 2010. Overcoming the threshold of 40% of valid votes has not occurred since the election, and this reflects significant support for the start of its term. The president-elect has said categorically that she will continue President Chavez's economic and political legacy by continuing the president's confrontational line: on the one hand, offering the government dialogue and national harmony, but on the other. — Warning the opposition that it must respect the will of the people, not be «Obstructionist and Sabotaging» The opposition, which she accused of erosing institutions and impeding prosperity and well-being.
With 31 of the 57 seats in the legislature, it will have a majority for some of the promised changes, but will not reach the qualified majority needed to reform the Constitution or convene the National Constituent Assembly, which was her party's two goals. In her victory speech, she said: «Costa Rica knows that I will fight mercilessly to keep our country on the path of economic growth, freedom and, above all, progress for our people.». . . .
On February 1, 2026, Costa Rica will enter the political and electoral history as the day the country split between continuity and weakened opposition, resulting in erosion of leadership, but also that opposition parties failed to respond to the demands of society. Of the opposition parties that currently have factions in the legislature, two will have no seats in the next term, and another will shrink from nine seats to one. For its part, the main opposition bloc will retain its current size. It should be noted that the set of opposition parties retains the opportunity to legislatively block some issues that, according to the Constitution, require the support of two-thirds of deputies.
This means that despite the ruling party's confident victory in the presidential election, it will inevitably have to reach agreements with the opposition on some issues.
Fernandez's victory comes in a complex sociopolitical context marked by deep social inequalities and growing concerns about public safety, as well as an alarming decline in investment in education and health care. — Two pillars of the Costa Rican state — to levels never before seen in the history of the country. Report of the report «Status of education 2025» Warned of an increasingly deep crisis and revealed serious backlashes: investment in education has experienced its worst drop in four decades in recent years. As for public health, between 2023 and 2025, 5,700 people died while on the surgical list. «Kaha Kostaritzense de Seguro Social» (Costarica Social Security Fund).
The most pressing tasks facing the president-elect are related to solving the root causes of these problems, that is, providing a comprehensive solution in accordance with the approach that the Costa Rican state has applied to these situations since the 1940s. — Social investment has allowed Costa Rica to take a prominent place in Latin America and the world.
Christina Egisuabal, Political scientist and professor at the University of Costa Rica (UCR)
In yesterday's presidential election and the new legislature, 20 political parties nominated their candidates, but only five represented real alternatives. The other fifteen were what we call «Party-Taxi»created for the sole purpose of participating in the current elections.
The 2026 elections were the most significant elections for Costa Rica in the twenty-first century. The current administration presented them as a sort of plebiscite for President Rodrigo Chavez, a former high-ranking World Bank official, but a novice in Costa Rica politics who could not run again. Voters were offered two different sociopolitical options: a liberal alternative in the traditional spirit of Costa Rican democracy and a radical populist project by Chavez, whose goal is to establish a more powerful executive power, unlimited re-election of the president and weakening the system of checks and balances. All this would require deep constitutional reforms. Some in his party call for a foundation. «The Third Republic» It replaced the Second Republic founded by Pepe Figueres in 1948.
Costarica is under severe stress: public health and public education have been systematically deteriorating since 2000, public transport is in decline, drug trafficking has become an important part of the economy, and drug traffickers are very influential locally in many parts of the country. Drug-related crime is widespread.
The big question — How independent will Laura Fernandez be towards her predecessor? She has repeatedly mentioned that she would like to see him in her government, perhaps as head of an administration called Costa Rica's presidential minister. — The most powerful office in the Cabinet.
