Seychelles is heading for a presidential runoff election after initial results revealed no candidate secured an outright majority. The electoral authority announced on Sunday, September 28, 2025, that a second round of voting will be necessary to determine the nation’s next leader.
Opposition leader Patrick Herminie garnered 48.8% of the votes, while the current President, Wavel Ramkalawan, received 46.4%. With neither candidate reaching the required 50% threshold for an outright win, the island nation prepares for a tense rematch. The official date for this crucial rerun election is still pending.
Herminie, representing the United Seychelles party, aims to reclaim power for a political force that dominated the country for decades, from 1977 until its defeat five years ago in 2020.
Seychelles Opposition leader of the United Seychelles (U.S.) party Patrick Herminie. File | Photo Credit: Reuters
President Ramkalawan, seeking his second term, leads the Linyon Demokratik Seselwa party. His campaign focused on themes of economic recovery, social progress, and environmental stewardship, as he strives to prevent the United Seychelles party from regaining control of Africa’s smallest nation.
While early voting commenced on Thursday, September 25, the majority of citizens cast their ballots on Saturday, September 27.
President Wavel Ramkalawan of the Republic of Seychelles on September 21, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP
This archipelago, comprising 115 islands and home to 120,000 people in the Indian Ocean, is renowned for its luxury tourism and commitment to environmental travel. This unique positioning has propelled Seychelles to become one of Africa’s wealthiest nations based on gross domestic product per capita, according to the World Bank.
However, the nation also faces significant challenges. With its vast maritime territory covering approximately 390,000 square kilometers, Seychelles is particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels, a concern highlighted by the World Bank and the U.N. Sustainable Development Group.
Another pressing issue for voters is the escalating drug crisis, primarily fueled by heroin addiction. A 2017 U.N. report identified Seychelles as a major drug transit route, and the 2023 Global Organized Crime Index indicated that the island nation suffers from one of the highest rates of heroin addiction globally.