Victoria, Seychelles – Seychellois voters headed to the polls on Saturday for a decisive presidential runoff election between incumbent Wavel Ramkalawan and opposition leader Patrick Herminie. The highly anticipated vote follows a first-round contest two weeks ago in which neither candidate secured an outright majority.

In the initial round, Herminie, representing the United Seychelles Party, led with 48.8% of the votes, while President Ramkalawan, from the Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) coalition, trailed closely with 46.4%.

Voters Voice Concerns Over Turnout and Fairness

As polling stations reopened, voter sentiment appeared mixed. Bertrand Barbier, a local banker, expressed disappointment with the first-round turnout, describing it as “kind of skewed” due to low participation.

Another voter, Martin Kennedy, emphasized the stakes of the election, saying the runoff “will determine literally the future of the country for the next five years.”

Observers note that ensuring high turnout and maintaining public trust in the electoral process are central concerns for both candidates.

A Contest of Leadership and Legacy

Patrick Herminie, seeking to restore the long-dominant United Seychelles Party to power, has promised economic reforms and a stronger focus on social welfare. His party previously governed the island nation from 1977 until 2020, when Ramkalawan’s historic victory ended decades of single-party dominance.

President Wavel Ramkalawan, meanwhile, is campaigning on his record of governance and promises of continued reform. However, his administration has faced mounting public frustration over rising living costs, heroin addiction, environmental degradation, and concerns surrounding foreign land leases.

Possible Political Outcomes

Election officials expect the final results to be announced by Sunday. Political analysts say the outcome could significantly reshape the nation’s political landscape:

• A Herminie victory would give the United Seychelles Party control of both the executive and legislative branches, leading to unified governance.
• A Ramkalawan win, on the other hand, could result in a divided government, with the president facing a legislature dominated by his opposition.