Seychelles votes in tight runoff election

The individuals of Seychelles voted on Saturday (October 11, 2025) in a runoff between President Wavel Ramkalawan and opposition challenger Patrick Herminie, whose get together seeks a return to energy after beforehand ruling the nation for 4 many years.

There was no outright winner within the elections held two weeks in the past, with Mr. Herminie receiving 48.8% of the vote and Mr. Ramkalawan getting 46.4%, in line with official outcomes. A candidate must win greater than 50% of the vote to be declared victorious.

Early voting began on Thursday (October 9, 2025) however most Seychellois are voted on Saturday (October 11, 2025). Polling stations opened shortly after 7.00 am native time, and outcomes are anticipated on Sunday (October 12, 2025).

The contest between Mr. Herminie and Mr. Ramkalawan is extensively seen as a good race. Both candidates have run spirited campaigns as they attempt to handle key points for voters, together with environmental harm and a disaster of drug habit in a rustic lengthy seen as a vacationer haven.

Mr. Herminie represents the United Seychelles get together, which dominated the nation’s politics for many years earlier than dropping energy 5 years in the past. It was the governing get together from 1977 to 2020. Mr. Ramkalawan, of the governing Linyon Demokratik Seselwa get together, is in search of a second time period.

The 115-island archipelago within the Indian Ocean has change into synonymous with luxurious and environmental journey, which has bumped Seychelles to the highest of the record of Africa’s richest international locations by gross home product per capita, in line with the World Bank. But opposition to the governing get together has been rising.

Per week earlier than the primary spherical of voting, activists filed a lawsuit in opposition to the federal government difficult a latest choice to challenge a long-term lease for a 400,000-square-meter (100-acre) space on Assomption Island, the nation’s largest, to a Qatari firm to develop a luxurious lodge. The lease, which incorporates the reconstruction of an airstrip to facilitate entry for worldwide flights, has ignited widespread criticism that it favours overseas pursuits over Seychelles’ welfare and sovereignty.

An island nation, Seychelles is particularly weak to local weather change, together with rising sea ranges, in line with the World Bank and the UN Sustainable Development Group.

It additionally faces an habit disaster fuelled by heroin. A 2017 UN report described the nation as a serious drug transit route, and the 2023 Global Organised Crime Index stated that the island nation has one of many world’s highest charges of heroin habit.