Social Christian Unity Party
Encyclopedia
The Social Christian Unity Party (Partido de Unidad Socialcristiana) is a political party
in Costa Rica
.
PUSC considers itself a Christian Democratic Party
and, as such, is a member of the Centrist Democrat International
.
elections
held on 3 February 2002, the party won 29.8% of the popular vote and 19 out of 57 seats. In the presidential election, held concurrently with the legislative vote, its candidate, Abel Pacheco de la Espriella won 38.6% of the vote. He was subsequently elected to the presidency in a runoff election on 7 April with 58.0% of the vote.
and Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier
, which cost the Party greatly in the next election (see below).
, PUSC presidential candidate Ricardo Toledo
secured around 3.5% of the national vote.
In the 5 February 2006 parliamentary election, the party won 5 out of 57 seats.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
.
PUSC considers itself a Christian Democratic Party
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
and, as such, is a member of the Centrist Democrat International
Centrist Democrat International
The Centrist Democrat International was until 2001 the Christian Democrat International and before that the Christian Democrat and People's Parties International...
.
2002 election
In the legislativeLegislative Assembly of Costa Rica
The Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislative branch of the government of Costa Rica. The national congress building is located in the city capital, San José, specifically in El Carmen District in San José Canton.-Composition:...
elections
Elections in Costa Rica
Elections in Costa Rica gives information on elections and election results in Costa Rica.Costa Rica elects on national level a head of state – the president – and a legislature. The President of Costa Rica is, together with two vice-presidents, elected for a four-year term by the people...
held on 3 February 2002, the party won 29.8% of the popular vote and 19 out of 57 seats. In the presidential election, held concurrently with the legislative vote, its candidate, Abel Pacheco de la Espriella won 38.6% of the vote. He was subsequently elected to the presidency in a runoff election on 7 April with 58.0% of the vote.
Corruption scandals
During Pacheco's presidency, the news media revealed corruption scandals involving former presidents Miguel Ángel Rodríguez EcheverríaMiguel Ángel Rodríguez
Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Echeverría is a Costa Rican economist, lawyer, businessman, and politician. He served as President of Costa Rica from 1998 to 2002 and was briefly Secretary General of the Organization of American States in 2004, before stepping down and returning to his country to face...
and Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier
Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier
Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier served as President of Costa Rica from 1990 to 1994. He was the presidential candidate of the Social Christian Unity Party for the national elections held in February 2010, but resigned his candidacy on 5 October 2009, when he was sentenced to five years in prison...
, which cost the Party greatly in the next election (see below).
2006 election
In the 2006 general electionCosta Rica presidential elections, 2006
General elections were held in Costa Rica on 5 February 2006. In the presidential election, Óscar Arias of the National Liberation Party , a former president and Nobel Peace Laureate, was victorious over Ottón Solís of the Citizens' Action Party and twelve other minor-party candidates...
, PUSC presidential candidate Ricardo Toledo
Ricardo Toledo
Ricardo Toledo is a Costa Rican politician and a member of the Christian democratic Social Christian Unity Party . He was their candidate for president in the 2006 elections and got 3.430 % of the total votes ....
secured around 3.5% of the national vote.
In the 5 February 2006 parliamentary election, the party won 5 out of 57 seats.