Polls & Research

Arias’ PLN Is First in Costa Rica

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The governing National Liberation Party (PLN) is the most popular political organization in Costa Rica, according to a poll by Unimer published in La Nación. 25 per cent of respondents would vote for the party of current president Óscar Arias in the next legislative election.

The Social Christian Unity Party (PUCS) is second with 16 per cent, followed by the Citizens’ Action Party (PAC) with 12 per cent, and the Libertarian Movement (ML) with three per cent.

Arias won the February 2006 presidential election with 40.92 per cent of all cast ballots. Solís finished in second place with 39.80 per cent. Arias headed the government from 1986 to 1990, and was able to run again after the Costa Rican Legislative Assembly opted to bring back presidential re-election in 2003. He was sworn in for the second time in May 2006.

In the 2006 Legislative election, the PLN finished in first place with 36.4 per cent of the vote and 25 seats, followed by the PAC with 25.8 per cent and 17 mandates, the ML with 9.1 per cent and six seats, and the PUSC with 7.5 per cent and five mandates.

In 1987, Arias was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his mediation in a peace deal that ended years of bloodshed in Central America.

On Sept. 15, as Costa Rica celebrated 187 years of independence, Arias said that the Central American country "has become ungovernable", and said that a series of "obstacles, barriers, laws, an unjust press and irrational parties" have formed a "spider web" that is impeding him to fulfill his vision for Costa Rica.

Polling Data

What party would you vote for in the next legislative election?

National Liberation Party (PLN)	25%
Social Christian Unity Party (PUCS)	16%
Citizens’ Action Party (PAC)	12%
Libertarian Movement (ML)	3%

Source: Unimer / La Nación
Methodology: Interviews with 1,239 Costa Rican adults, conducted from Aug. 28 to Sept. 4, 2008. Margin of error is 2.8 per cent.