VICTORIA (Reuters) -Seychelles will begin voting on Thursday in general elections in which incumbent President Wavel Ramkalawan and allied lawmakers are looking to block a comeback by the party that dominated the archipelago nation’s politics for four decades.
The idyllic beach destination is Africa’s wealthiest country per capita, with a location in the western Indian Ocean that makes it a target for investment and security cooperation from India, China and Gulf States.
Ramkalawan, a former Anglican priest, says he is seeking a second five-year term to build social protections and infrastructure while defending the country’s neutrality to draw investment.
His main rival, United Seychelles’ candidate Patrick Herminie, has said the population of 120,000 is suffering from soaring living costs, declining standards in schools, corruption, and drug abuse, problems he has promised to tackle.
ECONOMIC REBOUND
Over three days, some 73,000 voters will choose from eight presidential candidates and 125 challengers for the 35-seat National Assembly, where Ramkalawan hopes to maintain a majority for his Linyon Demokratik Seselwa coalition.
Results are due on Sunday.
Long one of Africa’s top economic performers thanks to tourism earnings and governance reforms, Seychelles has bounced back strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year it was removed from the EU’s tax blacklist.
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Inflation is under 2% and public debt on course to drop below the government’s target of 50% of gross domestic product before 2030, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Seychelles President Seeks Reelection on Back of Economic Recovery
