Citizens' Action Party (Costa Rica)

The Citizens' Action Party (Spanish: Partido Acción Ciudadana, PAC) is a Costa Ricanpolitical party that identifies primarily with social democracy, progressivism, and political reform. Founded in 2000, the party emerged as an alternative to the country's traditional two-party system, placing particular emphasis on transparency, citizen participation, and the fight against corruption. It governed from 2014 to 2022 under presidents Luis Guillermo Solís and Carlos Alvarado Quesada.

The party's platform is centered on promoting citizen involvement in public affairs, strengthening democratic institutions, and ensuring accountability in government. Opposition to corruption has been one of its defining principles, with the party arguing that corruption contributes to underdevelopment, weakens public finances, and discourages political participation.

The PAC played a prominent role in the campaign opposing Costa Rica's accession to the Dominican Republic–Central America Free Trade Agreement, becoming one of the leading political voices against the treaty during the national debate of the 2000s. Over time, the party expanded its platform to include environmental protection, same-sex marriage, human rights, and public-sector modernization.