Election in Costa Rica: Ex-President Figueres is ahead

Costa Rica’s former president, Figueres, has won the presidential election. But he will probably not reach the required 40 percent. There should be a runoff election in April.

After the presidential election in Costa Rica, there is no clear winner – there could be a runoff on April 3rd. According to the first results after counting in a little more than half of the polling stations, ex-president José María Figueres would probably be one of the two candidates. The social democrat got around 28 percent of the votes.

Tight race for second place

Former finance minister Rodrigo Chaves of the center party PSD and evangelical preacher Fabricio Alvarado of the right-wing New Republic party were close together, each with about 16 percent. The candidate with the second most votes would face Figueres in the runoff. To avoid a runoff, a candidate would have to get at least 40 percent of the votes.

Direct re-election not allowed

The incumbent head of state, the social democrat Carlos Alvarado, had lost a lot of support in recent years due to the economic problems caused by the corona pandemic and corruption scandals.

The constitution of the Central American country prohibits direct re-election of the president. Alvarado was therefore unable to run for a second four-year term. Figueres was the country’s president from 1994 to 1998.