2025 Seychellois general election
25–27 September 2025
9–11 October 2025 (runoff) | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Presidential election | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| 25–27 September 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||
All seats in the National Assembly 18 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
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General elections were held in Seychelles on 27 September 2025 to elect a president and members of the National Assembly,[1] with a second round of the presidential election held from 9 to 11 October after no candidate received a majority of the vote in the first round.[2]
The presidential election resulted in a victory for Patrick Herminie of the United Seychelles Party, who received 53% of the vote. Incumbent president Wavel Ramkalawan of the Linyon Demokratik Seselwa finished second with 47% of the vote.
Electoral system
The president of Seychelles is elected using the two-round system;[3] if no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the first round, a second round is held between the top two candidates.
Members of the National Assembly are elected by two methods; 26 (with a new constituency established in 2020) are elected from single-member constituencies using first-past-the-post voting, and up to a further ten are elected based on the percentage of votes received by each party; for each 10% of the total national vote received, a party gets one additional seat.[4][5]
Candidates
For president
On the ballot
- Wavel Ramkalawan (Linyon Demokratik Seselwa), running mate Ahmed Afif[6]
- Patrick Herminie (United Seychelles), running mate Sebastien Pillay[7]
- Maarco Francis (Seychelles United Movement)[8]
- Alain St Ange (Lalyans Nouvo Sesel)[8]
- Kisna Louise (Independent)[8]
- Robert Moumou (Seychelles People's National Movement)[8]
- Ralph Volcère (Independent)[8]
- Charles De Clarisse (Independent)[8]
Withdrawn
- Vincent Padayachy (Laliberte)
- Regis Francourt (Independent)[9]
- Marco Kastner (Independent)
Campaign
Herminie and his United Seychelles party pledged to revert the retirement age down to 63, reduce bus fares by 40% and increase social security benefits. Ralph Volcère pledged to decriminalize recreational cannabis as part of efforts to reduce the rate of drug addiction and put drug lords out of business.[10] Another key issue in the election was the Ramkalawan administration's decision to lease large areas of Assumption Island, near the World Heritage Site and marine reserve of Aldabra, for 70 years to a Qatari-built luxury hotel chain, which triggered protests over environmental damage. This led Herminie to accuse Qatar of financing Ramkalawan's campaign and pledging to cancel the lease agreement.[11]
Conduct
Early voting for elderly and essential workers was held on 25 September.[12] More than 77,000 people were eligible to vote.[13] For the second round, voting was held for outlying islands and some essential workers on 9 October, while voting in the country's three main islands was held on 11 October.[14]
Results
President
Patrick Herminie placed first in both rounds, winning 49% and 53% of the vote respectively.[15][16]
| Candidate | Party | First round | Second round | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |||
| Patrick Herminie | United Seychelles | 30,736 | 48.83 | 34,389 | 52.73 | |
| Wavel Ramkalawan | Linyon Demokratik Seselwa | 29,230 | 46.44 | 30,823 | 47.27 | |
| Maarco Francis | Seychelles United Movement | 1,329 | 2.11 | |||
| Robert Moumou | Seychelles People's National Movement | 593 | 0.94 | |||
| Alain St Ange | Lalyans Nouvo Sesel | 513 | 0.82 | |||
| Charles De Clarisse | Independent | 253 | 0.40 | |||
| Ralph Volcère | Independent | 217 | 0.34 | |||
| Kisna Louise | Independent | 68 | 0.11 | |||
| Total | 62,939 | 100.00 | 65,212 | 100.00 | ||
| Valid votes | 62,939 | 97.11 | 65,212 | 97.59 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,870 | 2.89 | 1,607 | 2.41 | ||
| Total votes | 64,809 | 100.00 | 66,819 | 100.00 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 77,045 | 84.12 | 77,045 | 86.73 | ||
| Source: ECS, ECS | ||||||
National Assembly
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FPTP | PR | Total | +/− | |||||
| United Seychelles | 30,880 | 49.14 | 15 | 4 | 19 | +9 | ||
| Linyon Demokratik Seselwa | 28,159 | 44.81 | 11 | 4 | 15 | −10 | ||
| Seychelles United Movement | 1,316 | 2.09 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New | ||
| Lalyans Nouvo Sesel | 852 | 1.36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New | ||
| Mouvman Lavwa Seselwa | 700 | 1.11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New | ||
| Seychelles People's National Movement | 326 | 0.52 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New | ||
| Laliberté | 190 | 0.30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New | ||
| Independents | 414 | 0.66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 62,837 | 100.00 | 26 | 8 | 34 | −1 | ||
| Valid votes | 62,837 | 96.99 | ||||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,950 | 3.01 | ||||||
| Total votes | 64,787 | 100.00 | ||||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 77,045 | 84.09 | ||||||
| Source: ECS | ||||||||
References
- ^ "Voters in Seychelles worry about a drug crisis, environmental challenges and sovereignty issues". AP News. 24 September 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
- ^ "Seychelles to hold presidential run-off after vote fails to produce clear winner". www.bbc.com. 29 September 2025. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
- ^ "Republic of Seychelles: Election for President". IFES Election Guide. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- ^ "Electoral system". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- ^ "Seychelles : Constitution and politics". The Commonwealth. Archived from the original on 13 October 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- ^ "Presidential elections 2025". Seychelles Nation. 13 August 2025. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- ^ "United Seychelles Picks Its Second-in-Command: Sebastien Pillay Joins Herminie Ticket for 2025 Showdown". The Seychelles Times. 23 June 2025. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Marie, J. (28 September 2025). "Presidential Election heads to second round". Today in Seychelles. Seychelles. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ "Prospective independent presidential candidate Regis Francourt and running mate Gelage Hoareau withdraw from race". Seychelles Nation. 20 August 2025. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ "Why a tiny island's fate could decide Seychelles' next president". BBC. 25 September 2025. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
- ^ "Seychelles opposition leader wins presidential run-off". France 24. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ "Seychelles holds early voting as many in the nation worry about a drug crisis and environment". AP News. 25 September 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
- ^ "Seychelles president seeks a second term as people vote in African tourist haven". AP News. 27 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
- ^ Robert-Gironcelle, Gabriel. "Seychelles president seeks to avert opposition sweep in run-off election". Reuters. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ "Seychelles to hold rerun presidential election after no outright winner". AP News. 28 September 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "Opposition leader Patrick Herminie wins presidential runoff election in Seychelles". AP News. Retrieved 12 October 2025.