Costa Rican general election, 1998

Costa Rican general election, 1998

← 1994 February 1, 1998 2002 →
Candidate Miguel Ángel Rodríguez José Miguel Corrales Vladimir de la Cruz Party Social Christian Unity National Liberation Democratic Force Home state San José Cartago San José Presidential vote 652.160 (46.9%) 618.834 (44.4%) 41.710 (3.02%%) Legislative vote 569,792 (41.2%) 481,933 (34.8%) 79,826 (5.8%) Seats 27 23 3 Seat change 2 5 1
Provinces won by Rodriguez in blue, Corrales in green
President before election José María Figueres National Liberation Elected President Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Social Christian Unity

José María Figueres
National Liberation

Miguel Ángel Rodríguez
Social Christian Unity

General elections were held in Costa Rica on February 1, 1998.Miguel Ángel Rodríguez of the Social Christian Unity Party won the presidential election, whilst his party also won the parliamentary election. Voter turnout was 70%, the lowest since the 1950s.

The country was for the time still under a heavy two-party system dynamics and the two main parties at the time; National Liberation Party and Social Christian Unity Party won most of the votes. Nevertheless, some third forces also won seats on the Parliament, among them left-wing Democratic Force won two seats. It was also the first time that liberal Libertarian Movement and Christian conservativeCosta Rican Renewal won seats (one each) in the Parliament both for their future presidential candidates Otto Guevara and Justo Orozco respectively. The small party National Integration Party led by medic Walter Muñoz won its only seat in history for Muñoz himself.