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Seychelles Government

What is the capital of Seychelles?

Country Name Seychelles
Full Country Name Republic of Seychelles
Local - Long Republic of Seychelles
Local - Short Seychelles
Etymology- history of name named by French Captain Corneille Nicholas MORPHEY after Jean Moreau de SECHELLES, the finance minister of France, in 1756
Government Type presidential republic
Capital Name Victoria
Capital - geographic coordinate 4 37 S, 55 27 E
Capital Time Difference UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence 29 June 1976 (from the UK)
National Holiday Constitution Day, 18 June (1993); Independence Day (National Day), 29 June (1976)
Constitution history: previous 1970, 1979; latest drafted May 1993, approved by referendum 18 June 1993, effective 23 June 1993

amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting the country’s sovereignty, symbols and languages, the supremacy of the constitution, fundamental rights and freedoms, amendment procedures, and dissolution of the Assembly also requires approval by at least 60% of voters in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2018

Seychelles Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Seychelles Government and Politics

Who is the president of Seychelles?

Executive Branch: chief of state: President Wavel RAMKALAWAN (since 26 October 2020); Vice President Ahmed AFIF (since 27 October 2020); the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Wavel RAMKALAWAN (since 26 October 2020); Vice President Ahmed AFIF (since 27 October 2020)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22 to 24 October 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

election results:

2020: Wavel RAMKALAWAN elected president; Wavel RAMKALAWAN (LDS) 54.9%, Danny FAURE (US) 43.5%, other 1.6%

2015: President James Alix MICHEL reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - James Alix MICHEL (PL) 47.8%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (SNP) 35.3%, other 16.9%; percent of vote in second round - James Alix MICHEL 50.2%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 49.8%
Citizenship Criteria: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Seychelles

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Legal System: mixed legal system of English common law, French civil law, and customary law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Legislative Branch: description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (35 seats in the 2020-25 term; 26 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and up to 9 members elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections: last held on 22-24 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2025); note - the election was originally scheduled for 2021 but was moved up a year and held alongside the presidential election in order to cut election costs

election results: percent of vote by party - LDS 54.8%, US 42.3%, other 2.9%; seats by party - LDS 25, US 10; composition - men 27, women 8, percent of women 22.9%
Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Seychelles Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 4 justices); Supreme Court of Seychelles (consists of the chief justice and 9 puisne judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 3 Supreme Court judges)

judge selection and term of office: all judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the Constitutional Appointments Authority, a 3-member body, with 1 member appointed by the president of the republic, 1 by the opposition leader in the National Assembly, and 1 by the other 2 appointees; judges serve until retirement at age 70

subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts of Seychelles; Family Tribunal for issues such as domestic violence, child custody, and maintenance; Employment Tribunal for labor-related disputes
Regions or States: 27 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Royale, Au Cap, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand Anse Mahe, Grand Anse Praslin, Ile Perseverance I, Ile Perseverance II, La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Les Mamelles, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe Larue, Port Glaud, Roche Caiman, Saint Louis, Takamaka
Political Parties and Leaders: Seychelles Party for Social Justice and Democracy or SPSJD [Vesna RAKIC]

Seychellois Democratic Alliance or LDS (Linyon Demokratik Seselwa/Union Démocratique Seychelloise) (coalition includes SNP and SPSJD) [Roger MANCIENNE]

Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN]

United Seychelles or US [Patrick HERMINIE]

note: only parties with seats in the National Assembly listed
International Law Organization Participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International Organization Participation: ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, C, CD, COMESA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic Representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ian Dereck Joseph MADELEINE (since 1 December 2021)

note - also Permanent Representative to the UN

chancery: 685 Third Avenue, Suite 1107, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785

FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786

email address and website:

seychelles@un.int; seychellesmission@sycun.org

Foreign Affairs Department Republic of Seychelles » United States of America (mfa.gov.sc)

consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic Representation from US: chief of mission: Ambassador Henry V. JARDINE (since 22 February 2023); Chargé d’Affaires Adham LOUTFI (since 6 October 2023) note - Ambassador JARDINE is posted in Mauritius and is accredited to Seychelles, and Chargé d’Affaires LOUTFI is posted in Victoria, Seychelles to manage the expanding policy interests

embassy: 2nd Floor, Oliaji Trade Center, Victoria Mahe, Seychelles; note - US Embassy in Seychelles reopened on 1 June 2023 after having been closed in 1996

telephone: [248] 422 5256
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