2025 - Seychelles Presidential Election 2025 (Round 2) (Seychelles)

Overview

The 2025 Seychellois presidential contest will be decided in a two-candidate runoff between Dr Patrick Herminie (United Seychelles, US) and incumbent Wavel Ramkalawan (Linyon Demokratik Seselwa, LDS) after no candidate secured an absolute majority in the first round. The Electoral Commission scheduled the runoff for 9–11 October 2025.

Background

Voting for the general election took place over three days on 25–27 September 2025. The island-nation’s two-round presidential system requires a candidate to win more than 50% in the first round to avoid a second round. Neither Herminie nor Ramkalawan reached that threshold hence the runoff.

First-round result snapshot

• Patrick Herminie (United Seychelles): 30,736 votes — 48.8%.
• Wavel Ramkalawan (LDS): 29,230 votes — 46.4%.
  

Voter participation

With over 77,000 voters eligible to vote, the first-round turnout garnered an impressive 84% turnout, with that of the runoff expected to be higher.

Context and issues shaping voter choices

A short list of dominant campaign issues is influencing voting decisions:

• A worsening drug crisis (particularly heroin addiction) that has attracted broad public concern.
• Environmental and sovereignty concerns, especially controversy over a lease/arrangement for Assomption Island that triggered constitutional and conservation debates.
• Economic recovery and cost-of-living debates following the pandemic-era shock to tourism; both principal candidates framed their campaigns around economic management, social protections and national development.

Legislative outcome and political balance

The 2025 general election also delivered a change in the National Assembly composition: United Seychelles made gains and contested control with LDS, producing a split verdict that increases the political stakes of the presidential runoff for governance stability.

What to watch in the runoff

• Turnout dynamics. With a small electorate and high first-round participation, shifts in mobilization, especially among supporters of eliminated candidates will determine the outcome.

• Messaging on drugs and sovereignty. Both candidates are expected to sharpen policies and rhetoric on addiction treatment, enforcement and foreign-investment safeguards.

Results Summary