Issue Watch
Track global public opinion on current issues.
- 2008: Race for the White House
- 2008: The U.S. Electoral College
- Abortion
- Africa
- Angela Merkel
- Death Penalty
- Economy and Globalization
- Environment
- European Union
- George W. Bush
- Global Warming
- Gordon Brown
- Hamas
- Immigration
- Iran
- Iraq War
- Kevin Rudd
- Latin America
- New Zealand Election 2008
- Nicolas Sarkozy
- North Korea
- Oil and Gas
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Silvio Berlusconi
- Stem Cell Research
- Stephen Harper
- Terrorism
- U.S. Election 2008 - The Democrats
- U.S. Election 2008 - The Republicans
- U.S. Election 2008: The Primaries
- Vladimir Putin
- Yasuo Fukuda
Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Arias Set for New Victory in Costa Rica
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Former head of state Óscar Arias Sánchez remains the favourite in next month's presidential election in Costa Rica, according to a poll by Borge y Asociados published in Extra. 45.8 per cent of respondents would vote for Arias.
In March 2004, Arias officially announced his intention to run for president again as the candidate for the National Liberation Party (PLN). The Costa Rican Legislative Assembly opted to bring back presidential re-election in 2003. Arias headed the government from 1986 to 1990.
Ottón Solís of the Citizens Action Party (PAC) is second with 17.9 per cent, followed by Otto Guevara of the Libertarian Movement (ML) with 11.5 per cent, Antonio Álvarez Desanti of the Union for Change (UPC) with 5.4 per cent, José Manuel Echandi of the National Union Party (PUN) with 4.1 per cent, and Ricardo Toledo of the governing Social-Christian Unity Party (PUSC) with 3.8 per cent.
This week, some Costa Rican media outlets began to speculate on what Arias' new cabinet might look like. Some current collaborators who have been mentioned as possible ministers include Lorenzo Guadamuz, Leonardo Garnier, Clotilde Fonseca, Alejandro Cruz and Fernando Durán Ayanegui. PLN campaign chief Rodrigo Arias dismissed the suggestions, saying, "We are concentrated on winning the election, and nothing more."
The PUSC's Abel Pacheco was elected in a run-off in April 2002 with 58 per cent of the vote. The election is scheduled for Feb. 5. If no candidate garners more than 40 per cent of all cast ballots, a run-off would take place on Apr. 2.
Polling Data
What candidate would you vote for if the presidential election were held today?
(Likely voters)
Óscar Arias (PLN) | 45.8% |
Ottón Solís (PAC) | 17.9% |
Otto Guevara (ML) | 11.5% |
Antonio Álvarez Desanti (UPC) | 5.4% |
José Manuel Echandi (PUN) | 4.1% |
Ricardo Toledo (PUSC) | 3.8% |
Source: Borge y Asociados / Extra
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,008 Costa Rican adults, conducted from Dec. 10 to Dec. 16, 2005. Margin of error is 3.2 per cent.