Seychelles: Opposition Leader Patrick Herminie Elected President
Seychelles: Opposition leader Patrick Herminie has won the presidential election with 52.7% of the votes, restoring control of the government to his party, United Seychelles (US), which has held power almost continuously since the archipelago's independence, renowned for its stunning beaches.
Herminie, 62, defeated the incumbent president Wavel Ramkalawan, leader of the Linyon Democratik Seselwa (LDS). Ramkalawan had led the opposition from 1998 to 2011 and from 2015 to 2020 before assuming power in 2020.
"My victory is a mandate that the people have entrusted to me," said the newly elected sixth president of Seychelles, who committed in his victory speech to "reduce the cost of living and revive public services."
"I will be the president of all Seychellois," he declared as his supporters gathered in the capital, Victoria, to celebrate his win.
The US, which was the only party in power until the previous election won by Wavel Ramkalawan, has regained control.
Ramkalawan acknowledged his defeat, stating, "I leave with a legacy that would make many presidents blush. I hope President Herminie continues to maintain such a standard," he added.
Herminie faced charges of "sorcery" at the end of 2023, which he labeled as "political" accusations and were dropped a few months later. A medical professional, he previously headed the government’s anti-drug agency.
The new Seychellois president likely capitalized on the criticized track record of the outgoing president, an Anglican priest, particularly regarding drug trafficking—though this issue did not dominate discussions ahead of the vote.
According to the Agency for the Prevention of Drug Abuse and Rehabilitation (APDAR), between 5,000 and 6,000 people consume heroin in the archipelago, based on the number of registrants in a methadone program. However, other estimates suggest over 10,000 users, about 10% of the population.
Herminie likely also benefited from public anger over the loss of sovereignty of the archipelago regarding Assomption Island, which was ceded last year by Wavel Ramkalawan’s government to a Qatari developer for 70 years to build a luxury hotel. He has promised to annul this agreement.
On Wednesday, he stated that he had written to the Qatari authorities to respect the sovereignty of the archipelago, denouncing "interference" from Qatari companies, which he accuses of financing the rival party's campaign by several million dollars to finalize the tourism project.
A new landing strip has been constructed on this sandbank approximately a thousand kilometers from Mahé, the main island of the archipelago, which could allow wealthy tourists to bypass customs and immigration procedures on the main island.
However, it is primarily its proximity to Aldabra, a UNESCO World Heritage site located about 40 kilometers from Assomption, that raises concerns. Aldabra is home to the largest population of giant tortoises and an ecosystem that remains largely untouched.
Photos circulated on social media showing machinery on the beach and a turtle with a cracked shell have sparked outrage.
Once a French then British colony, Seychelles gained independence in 1976 and has a relatively young democracy. The first multiparty election took place in 1993 following the adoption of a new constitution.
Three-quarters of the population (121,355 inhabitants in 2024 according to the World Bank) live on the main island of Mahé, where the capital, Victoria, is located.
