C ommo nwe a l t h memb e r c o u n t r i e s Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2013/14 260 Following the 1998 elections Wavel Ramkalawan formed a new party, the Seychelles National Party (SNP), to succeed his United Opposition party. In an early presidential election in September 2001, René was returned to office, securing 54 per cent of the votes, defeating Ramkalawan (45 per cent), in a much closer contest than in 1998. Though the SNP significantly strengthened its position in the parliamentary elections in December 2002, with 11 of the 34 elective seats and 42.6 per cent of the votes, the ruling Seychelles People’s Progressive Front (SPPF) remained in control of the National Assembly. Following the elections the SPPF chose Vice-President and Finance Minister James Michel as their candidate for the presidential contest due in 2006, France Albert René being allowed only two terms under the constitution. In April 2004, after almost 27 years as Head of State, René stood down and Michel became President. Michel was endorsed by the electorate in the July 2006 presidential contest when, with 54 per cent of the votes cast, he defeated the SNP’s Wavel Ramkalawan. In the parliamentary elections held in May 2007, the ruling SPPF, with 56 per cent of the votes, again won 23 seats and the SNP, with 44 per cent, took 11. At its 24th National Congress in June 2009 the SPPF was renamed the People’s Party. In the May 2011 presidential election Michel was reelected, winning 56 per cent of the votes cast. His principal rival, Ramkalawan of the SNP, secured 41 per cent of the votes. A Commonwealth expert team present declared the electoral process credible. Among its recommendations were that the government carry out a thorough review of electoral legislation, and establish an independent electoral commission, as recommended in the April 2010 report of the Constitutional Review Commission. Following the presidential election in May 2011 the SNP boycotted parliament citing the slow pace of electoral reform. Some disaffected SNP members then formed a new party, the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), to fight the parliamentary elections which were held from 29 September to 1 October 2011. The elections were again won by the People’s Party led by President James Michel, taking all 25 elective seats in the National Assembly and receiving 89 per cent of the votes cast. The PDM took 11 per cent of the votes but failed to win any of the elective seats. The Electoral Commission was appointed in August 2011 and the Forum for Electoral Reform – inaugurated in January 2012 with the support of all five registered political parties – embarked on a series of public hearings, with a view to making recommendations on reform of election law. Local government For administrative purposes there are 25 districts, which also serve as constituencies for national elections. There is no legislation governing local government and no provision for it in the constitution. There are no local elections; local administrators are appointed by central government. The local administrations do not have revenue-raising powers; they receive all their funding from the national government. They are the central government’s agent for the delivery of community-based services. National development plan In 2007 the government launched its medium-term development plan for 2007–17, with the overall goal of doubling annual GDP by the end of the plan period. The main growth sectors were identified as fisheries, tourism and financial services, and key developmental objectives: maximising local participation; enhancing human resource capacity; protecting the environment; promoting effective and transparent governance; and fostering national and international strategic partnerships. Further information Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles: www.statehouse.gov.sc Commonwealth Secretariat: www.thecommonwealth.org Commonwealth Governance: www.commonwealthgovernance.org Governance institutions Electoral Commission: www.ecs.sc National Assembly of Seychelles: www.nationalassembly.sc Central Bank of Seychelles: www.cbs.sc Bureau of Standards: www.seychelles.net/sbsorg
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