The Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE) confirmed that it has received 10 applications from new political parties interested in participating in the national elections on Feb. 4, 2018.
The registration period for new parties officially ended last Friday; according to the TSE two new parties registered to present presidential candidates. Eight new parties will be looking to win a seat for the Legislative Assembly.
The two parties that will present their bids in the presidential election are the Partido de los Trabajadores (Workers’ Party) and the Partido Liberal Progresista (Liberal Progressive Party).
Eight provincial parties registered to elect lawmakers. Nuevo Partido Socialista, Todos, Animalista and Vamos will nominate candidates in the capital, San José. In other provinces, Organizador Puntarenense, Unión Guanacasteca, Actuemos Ya in Cartago, and Vanguardia Popular in Limón will be seeking enough votes to earn seats in the legislature.
In total, 16 national parties are registered to take part in the presidential election, and 12 can present candidates for the Legislative Assembly.
The TSE reported that the total number of registered parties in the country is 85. That figure includes 57 parties registered to take part in cantonal elections to elect mayors and municipal representatives.
Voters in the 2018 elections will elect a new President, two Vice Presidents and 57 new lawmakers.
