Seychellois citizens went to the polls on Saturday to elect both a new president and parliament in Africa’s smallest nation. Incumbent leader Wavel Ramkalawan, who is seeking a second five-year term, faces a main challenge from Patrick Herminie, a veteran legislator and former parliamentary speaker (2007–2016) representing the United Seychelles Party.
Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. across the Indian Ocean archipelago, with long queues reported in what election officials described as a smooth and punctual start to voting. More than 77,000 registered voters are expected to cast ballots; if no candidate surpasses 50% of the vote, a runoff will be held between the top two contenders.
Ramkalawan, an Anglican priest turned politician, made history in 2020 by ending decades of one-party dominance on his sixth attempt at the presidency. His Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) party has framed this election around promises of economic recovery, social welfare and environmental stewardship—key issues for a country whose prosperity depends heavily on tourism and ecological branding.
Despite its reputation as a luxury travel destination and one of Africa’s wealthiest states per capita, Seychelles faces growing internal strains. A controversial government decision to lease part of Assomption Island—the country’s largest—to a Qatari firm for a high-end hotel development has triggered a constitutional challenge and accusations of prioritizing foreign investment over national sovereignty. The deal includes plans to rebuild an airstrip to handle international flights, further stoking fears of environmental degradation.
The islands’ vulnerability to rising sea levels and other climate threats, underscored by World Bank and UN assessments, adds urgency to voters’ environmental concerns. At the same time, a deepening drug crisis clouds the political landscape. The UN has identified Seychelles as a major narcotics transit point, and the 2023 Global Organized Crime Index ranks it among the world’s highest for heroin addiction. Roughly 6,000 of its 120,000 residents are estimated to use the drug—a rate some analysts say approaches 10%.
Both leading candidates have been criticized for their records on this issue. Ramkalawan is accused of failing to curb the epidemic during his first term, while Herminie’s tenure as head of the national anti-drug agency from 2017 to 2020 is widely viewed as ineffective.
Most of Seychelles’ population lives on Mahé, home to the capital Victoria, where voter turnout will be closely watched. The election’s outcome will test whether Ramkalawan’s reformist image can withstand growing discontent over drugs, foreign deals and environmental risks—or whether Herminie can capitalize on frustrations with the incumbent despite his own mixed record.
