Seychelles: Democratic General Elections

Extracted from: "Seychelles" IN Compendium of Elections in Southern Africa (2002), edited by Tom Lodge, Denis Kadima and David Pottie, EISA, 280-281.

The first democratic general elections since independence took place in July 1993, the second ones in March 1998. In the former, the SPPF [Seychelles People's Progressive Front] gained 57.5% of the vote and 27 of the 33 seats in the national assembly (see 1993 National Assembly election results and 1993 Presidential election results for more detail). Ironically, in the second elections, the opposition's presence in parliament fell from six to four seats, despite a better standing overall in the country (see 1998 National Assembly election results).

Following the 1993 elections, effective opposition to the government came more and more from the United Opposition (UO). This consisted of the PS [Parti Seselwa], the SNM [Seychelles National Movement], the SCDP [Seychelles Christian Democrat Party] and the NAP [National Alliance Party] had been formally amalgamated to become a single party. After 1996, under the leadership of Ramkalawan, it began to be viewed as an increasingly organised and forward-looking party. In January 1998 René announced that the presidential and legislative elections due to take place before mid-1998, would be held in March. The outcome of the elections provided the SPPF with a decisive victory. René received 66.7% of the presidential ballot (compared with 59.5% in 1993; see 1998 Presidential election results), while his party secured 30 of the 34 seats in the enlarged national assembly (see 1998 National Assembly election results).

The UO, with three seats emerged as the principal parliamentary opponent of the SPPF. It boycotted a number of debates in protest at allegedly partisan coverage of legislative proceedings by the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation and has accused the speaker of the National Assembly of authoritarian conduct. In July 1998 the UO changed its name to the Seychelles National Party (SNP).