AFRICAN ELECTIONS DATABASE
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Elections in the Seychelles
 
Political Profile
Political System: Democracy
President: James Alix Michel (SPPF) [since 14 April 2004; succeeded the elected president, France-Albert René, who voluntarily resigned after 27 years in power; elected 2006] The President is elected by direct popular vote for a 5-year term. Electoral System: Two Round (Run-off).
National Assembly [unicameral] (34 Seats) Members are elected by direct popular vote through parallel systems - 25 single-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post system and 9 by proportional representation; members serve 5-year terms.
Political Situation since Independence
1976-1977 Democracy
1977-1979 [De-Facto] One Party State (SPUP/SPPF)
1979-1991 One Party State (SPPF)
1991-1993 Multiparty Transition
1993-        Democracy
2007 Freedom House Rating: Political Rights - 3, Civil Liberties - 3, Status: Partly Free
Next Scheduled Presidential Election: 2011
Next Scheduled National Assembly Election: 2012
Political Parties: DP - Democratic Party (right-wing, conservative), NAP - National Alliance Party, PS - Seychelles Party, SNM - Seychelles National Movement, SDA - Social Democratic Alliance, SDP - Seychelles Democratic Party, SNP - Seychelles National Party (centrist), SPPF - Seychelles People’s Progressive Front (far-left), SPUP - Seychelles People’s United Party, UO - United Opposition
Coalitions: Seychelles National Party-Democratic Party (SNP-DP) [Contested the 2007 National Assembly Election]; United Opposition (UO) [Contested the 1993 Presidential and National Assembly Elections] Member parties include the Seychelles Party (PS), Seychelles National Movement (SNM), and the National Alliance Party (NAP).
(Note: Member parties of the United Opposition (UO) coalition merged in 1994 and contested the 1998 Presidential and National Assembly Elections as a political party).
 
Election Results
 
 
Presidential
--Multiparty: 1993, 1998, 2001, 2006
--Single Party: 1979, 1984, 1989
Legislative
--Multiparty: 1970, 1974, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2007
--Single Party: 1979, 1983, 1987
Constitutional Commission: 1992
Constitutional Referenda: 1992, 1993
 
 
November 1970 Legislative Council Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party

% of Votes

Number of Seats (15)

Seychelles Democratic Party (SDP)

53.8%

10

Seychelles People's United Party (SPUP)

44.2%

05

 
April 1974 Legislative Council Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes

Not Available

Total Valid Votes

41,822

Party

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Seats (15)

Seychelles Democratic Party (SDP)

21,902

52.37%

13

Seychelles People's United Party (SPUP)

19,920

47.63%

02

 
Single Party Elections
Sole Legal Party: Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF)

June 1979 Presidential Election (France-Albert René elected unopposed)

June 1979 People’s Assembly Election

07 August 1983 People’s Assembly Election

17 June 1984 Presidential Election (France-Albert René re-elected unopposed)

05 December 1987 People’s Assembly Election

June 1989 Presidential Election (France-Albert René re-elected unopposed)

 
23-26 July 1992 Constitutional Commission Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (approx. 90%)

Party

% of Votes

Number of Seats (23)

Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF)

58.4%

14

Democratic Party (DP)

33.7%

08

Seychelles Party (PS)

4.4%

01

Others

3.5%

-

 
15 November 1992 Constitutional Referendum*
Main Points: Presidential Republic, Multiparty System, Official status for leaders of the opposition

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (approx. 60%)

Results

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

53.7%

"No" Votes

44.6%

*In order for the constitution to become permanent, it had to be endorsed by at least 60% of the electorate.
 
18 June 1993 Constitutional Referendum
Main Points: Presidential Republic, Multiparty System, Official status for leaders of the opposition

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Results

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

73.9%

"No" Votes

24.1%

 
20-23 July 1993 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

50,370

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

43,584 (86.5%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     511

Total Valid Votes

43,073

Candidate (Party) [Coalition]

Number of Votes

% of Votes

France-Albert René (SPPF)

25,627

59.50%

James Richard Mancham (DP)

15,815

36.72%

Philippe Boullé (NAP) [UO]

1,631

3.78%

 
20-23 July 1993 People's Assembly Election

Registered Voters

50,370

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

43,579 (86.5%)

Party/[Coalition]

Number of Seats
22 (33)*

Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF)

21 (27)

Democratic Party (DP)

04 (05)

United Opposition [UO]

  - (01)

*22 members were directly elected; an additional 11 seats were allocated on the basis of proportional representation. The figures in parenthesis reflect the final distribution of seats (direct + proportional).
 
20-22 March 1998 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

54,847

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

47,550 (86.7%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     977

Total Valid Votes

46,573

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

France-Albert René (SPPF)

31,048

66.67%

Wavel Ramkalawan (UO)

9,098

19.53%

James Richard Mancham (DP)

6,427

13.80%

 
20-22 March 1998 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

54,847

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

47,568 (86.7%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

  1,205

Total Valid Votes

46,363

Party

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Seats
25 (34)*

Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF)

28,610

61.71%

24 (30)

United Opposition (UO)

12,084

26.06%

01 (03)

Democratic Party (DP)

5,609

12.10%

  - (01)

Independent

60

0.13%

  - ( - )

*25 members were directly elected; an additional 9 seats were allocated on the basis of proportional representation. The figures in parenthesis reflect the final distribution of seats (direct + proportional).
 
31 August-02 September 2001 Presidential Election [Results by District]

Registered Voters

59,994

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

51,145 (85.3%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     907

Total Valid Votes

50,238

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

France-Albert René (SPPF)

27,223

54.19%

Wavel Ramkalawan (SNP)

22,581

44.95%

Philippe Boullé

434

0.86%

 
04-06 December 2002 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

62,350

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

52,699 (84.5%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     969

Total Valid Votes

51,730

Party

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Seats br 25 (34)*

Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF)

28,075

54.27%

18 (23)

Seychelles National Party (SNP)

22,030

42.59%

07 (11)

Democratic Party (DP)

1,605

3.10%

-

Social Democratic Alliance (SDA)

16

0.03%

-

Independents

04

0.00%

-

*25 members were directly elected; an additional 9 seats were allocated on the basis of proportional representation. The figures in parenthesis reflect the final distribution of seats (direct + proportional).
 
28-30 July 2006 Presidential Election [Results by District]

Registered Voters

64,026

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

56,787 (88.7%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     728

Total Valid Votes

56,059

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

James Michel (SPPF)

30,119

53.73%

Wavel Ramkalawan (SNP)*

25,626

45.71%

Philippe Boullé

314

0.56%

*Wavel Ramkalawan was also supported by the Democratic Party (DP).
 
10-12 May 2007 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

64,993

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

55,839 (85.9%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

  1,393

Total Valid Votes

54,440

Party/[Coalition]

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Seats
25 (34)*

Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF)

30,571

56.16%

18 (23)

Seychelles National Party-Democratic Party [SNP-DP]

23,869

43.84%

07 (11)

*25 members were directly elected; an additional 9 seats were allocated on the basis of proportional representation. The figures in parenthesis reflect the final distribution of seats (direct + proportional).