Doha: Seychelles’s opposition leader, Patrick Herminie, has won the country’s presidential race, defeating incumbent leader Wavel Ramkalawan in a run-off vote, according to the electoral commission.
According to Qatar News Agency, Herminie secured 52.7% of the vote, defeating incumbent President Wavel Ramkalawan, who obtained 47.35.
In the first round of voting held at the end of September, Herminie received 48.8%, compared to 46.4% for Ramkalawan, prompting a run-off between the two candidates from October 9 to 11 to decide the final outcome.
Herminie, 62, is a former Speaker of the National Assembly and leader of the United Seychelles Party, which ruled the country from 1977 until 2020, when it lost power to the ruling Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) party.
His campaign focused on strengthening national security, expanding employment opportunities, improving social welfare, and introducing economic and environmental reforms aimed at sustainable development.
Outgoing President Ramkalawan, 64, sought a second five-year term after first taking office in 2020.
The electoral process was conducted under strict security and organizational measures to ensure transparency and fairness, with both local and international observers monitoring the vote to verify its compliance with democratic standards.