Seychelles to hold rerun presidential election as no candidate secures 50%

Seychelles will hold a rerun of the presidential election despite the electoral authority’s announcement that its two main contenders had received less than 50% of the votes.

The Associated Press reported that opposition candidate Patrick Herminie received 48.8% of the vote, compared to the official results from Sunday, where incumbent Wavel Ramkalawan received 46.4 percent.

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The electoral body did not make an announcement regarding the anticipated rerun election.

Most people voted on Saturday despite Thursday when early voting first started.

Before losing power five years ago, the United Seychelles party, led by Herminie, ruled the nation. It&nbsp, was the governing party from 1977 to 2020.

With his party, the Linyon Domokratik Seselwa, Ramkalawan is attempting to stop the United Seychelles from winning the presidency. The pair are campaigning for economic recovery, social development, and environmental sustainability.

However, Ramkalawan’s party has faced more opposition in the run-up to the election.

A week before the election, activists filed a constitutional lawsuit against the government to challenge a Qatari company’s decision to lease a large portion of Assomption Island for a luxury hotel development.

The lease also included reconstruction of an airstrip to make it easier to travel internationally.

However, it was widely criticized that the agreement favors foreign interests over Seychelles’ extended welfare and sovereignty.

A growing heroin crisis also raised questions for voters. An estimated 6, 000 people out of the country’s 12, 000 people take the drug, according to independent analysts.

The Seychelles, which covers 390,000 square kilometers (150, 580 square miles), is particularly vulnerable to climate change as sea levels rise.