02/02/2026, 07:2002/02/2026, 07:20
According to preliminary results, the conservative Laura Fernández is clearly ahead in the presidential election in Costa Rica. According to the highest electoral court, the candidate from the Sovereign People’s Party (PPSO) received almost 49 percent of the votes after 88 percent of the polling stations were counted. A total of 20 candidates competed in the Central American country to succeed President Rodrigo Chaves.
Laura Fernández has a good chance of becoming the new president of Costa Rica.Image: keystone
Economist Álvaro Ramos from the social democratic National Liberation Party follows in second place with a good 33 percent. Around 3.7 million people were entitled to vote, and voter turnout was currently just under 70 percent. At the same time, a new parliament was elected. The new head of state and government will take office on May 8th.
Action against crime
Fernández was considered the preferred candidate of the incumbent center-right President Chaves. Despite his popularity, he could not run again because the constitution prohibits immediate re-election after a four-year term.
The 39-year-old former minister Fernández promised tough action against criminal groups in the holiday country in view of the increasing crime. Your party is considered liberal on economic issues and conservative on social issues.
To date, Costa Rica, with around five million inhabitants, has only had one female president: Laura Chinchilla ruled from 2010 to 2014 and was the last candidate to win in the first round without a runoff. (dab/sda/dpa)