On Saturday, September 27, 2025, the archipelago nation of Seychelles saw its citizens turn out in large numbers to vote in a high-stakes election, choosing both a new president and parliament. The election, which many observers described as peaceful and orderly, unfolded against a backdrop of economic prosperity, environmental vulnerability, and a mounting drug crisis that has come to overshadow the islands’ image as a tourist paradise.
President Wavel Ramkalawan, seeking a second five-year term, faced off against his chief rival, Patrick Herminie of the United Seychelles Party, as well as six other presidential candidates. According to AP News and Arab News, the polls opened promptly at 7 a.m. local time across the three main islands, with long lines forming at many stations and a strong voter turnout expected. Electoral authorities reported that all stations opened on time and that voting proceeded smoothly throughout the day.
The election marked the culmination of a multi-day process that began on September 25, when outlying islands and essential workers cast their votes early. By Saturday, the focus had shifted to the main population centers, including Mahé, the largest island and home to the capital city, Victoria. Just over 77,000 people were registered to vote, according to official figures cited by AP News, though some reports referenced approximately 73,000 voters choosing among eight presidential candidates. Results were expected to be announced on Sunday, September 28. If no candidate secured more than 50 percent plus one vote, a runoff between the top two contenders would be held.
Ramkalawan, an Anglican priest who entered politics decades ago, made history in 2020 when he became the first opposition leader since 1976 to defeat the ruling party, winning the presidency on his sixth attempt. His Linyon Demokratik Seselwa party campaigned this year on promises of economic recovery, social development, and environmental sustainability. Seychelles, a 115-island archipelago in the Indian Ocean, has long been synonymous with luxury and environmental travel. According to the World Bank, it boasts the highest GDP per capita in Africa, a status that has nurtured a growing middle class but also fueled opposition to the ruling party.
Ramkalawan’s main challenger, Patrick Herminie, is a veteran lawmaker who served as parliamentary speaker from 2007 to 2016 and led the United Seychelles party, which governed the country from 1977 until its defeat in 2020. Despite the generally smooth conduct of the vote, Herminie raised concerns about electoral irregularities. As reported by Reuters, he called for a swift police investigation after a voter was allegedly given a ballot paper already ticked for President Ramkalawan. Herminie stated, "We hope that the police will complete its investigation the soonest, so that we know exactly what happened, how come somebody was given a voting ballot paper already ticked for Mr. Ramkalawan. This is very, very strange. There are different theories. Let's hope for the official explanation." Nevertheless, he also noted strong turnout from his supporters and expressed confidence in the election’s outcome.
The campaign season was marked by debates over several pressing issues. One major controversy erupted just a week before the vote, when activists filed a constitutional case challenging the government’s decision to grant a long-term lease for part of Assomption Island—the country’s largest—to a Qatari company for luxury hotel development. The deal, which included reconstruction of an airstrip to accommodate international flights, drew sharp criticism from locals who argued it favored foreign interests over Seychelles’ sovereignty and long-term welfare. Questions of national identity and control over the islands’ limited land resources loomed large for many voters.
Environmental concerns were also front and center. With its territory spread across approximately 390,000 square kilometers (150,579 square miles) of ocean, Seychelles is acutely vulnerable to climate change, especially rising sea levels. Both the World Bank and the UN Sustainable Development Group have highlighted the existential threat climate change poses to the island nation, whose unique ecosystems and pristine beaches are central to its tourism-driven economy.
Yet perhaps the most urgent and troubling issue facing Seychelles is the country’s escalating drug crisis. As noted by the 2023 Global Organized Crime Index and a 2017 United Nations report, Seychelles has become a major transit route for narcotics and now suffers from one of the world’s highest rates of heroin addiction. Estimates suggest that around 6,000 people—roughly 10 percent of the population of 120,000—are addicted to heroin, a staggering figure that has alarmed both local authorities and international observers.
The drug epidemic has become a flashpoint in the political debate. Critics of President Ramkalawan argue that he has largely failed to bring the crisis under control during his first term. However, Herminie has also faced criticism for his own record on the issue, particularly during his tenure as chairman of the national Agency for the Prevention of Drug Abuse and Rehabilitation from 2017 to 2020. Both men have been forced to answer tough questions about their approaches to combating addiction and supporting recovery, as voters increasingly demand effective solutions.
Most Seychellois live on Mahé, where the capital Victoria serves as the political and economic heart of the country. The islands’ prosperity, fueled by tourism and financial services, has not insulated them from the challenges of globalization, environmental change, and the social costs of rapid economic development. The growing middle class has become more vocal in its demands for accountability, transparency, and sustainable growth.
Despite the high stakes and occasional controversies, the 2025 election was widely viewed as a testament to Seychelles’ maturing democracy. The peaceful transfer of power in 2020, when Ramkalawan ended more than four decades of rule by the United Seychelles party, was hailed as a milestone for the country and the region. This year’s contest, featuring robust competition and active civil society engagement, reinforced that reputation—even as it exposed the deep-seated challenges still facing the nation.
As the archipelago awaits the official results, Seychellois are left to ponder the future of their country: Can the next government balance economic growth with environmental stewardship? Will leaders finally get a grip on the drug crisis? And, perhaps most importantly, will the islands’ famed tranquility and beauty endure in the face of mounting pressures? The answers, it seems, will shape not only the next five years but the destiny of Seychelles for generations to come.