Seychelles will head to a runoff presidential election after no candidate secured an outright majority in the first round, the country’s electoral commission announced on Sunday.
Opposition leader Patrick Herminie of the United Seychelles party led with 48.8% of the vote, while incumbent President Wavel Ramkalawan of the Linyon Demokratik Seselwa party trailed closely with 46.4%.
A candidate must obtain more than 50% to win outright.
The commission said the date for the runoff will be announced soon.
Herminie is seeking to return United Seychelles which ruled the Indian Ocean archipelago from 1977 until its defeat in 2020 to power.
Ramkalawan, in office since 2020, is pushing for a second term on promises of economic recovery, social progress, and environmental sustainability.
Seychelles, a 115-island nation famed for its luxury tourism and biodiversity, has one of Africa’s highest GDPs per capita, according to the World Bank.
