n Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice
President Luis FISHMAN (since 8 May 2002); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice
President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February
2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NA
February 2006)
election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote -
Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats;
members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1; note - seats by party as of
January 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC 8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union
3, Homeland First 1, Authentic Member from Heredia 1, Democratic
National Alliance 1, independent 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for
eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or
PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo
OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos CHAVES Mora];
Democratic National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ]; General Union Party
or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First [Juan Jose
VARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO
Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth];
National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Victor GONZALEZ]; National
Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National
Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio