
United Seychelles is a
political party
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology, ...
in
Seychelles
Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (; Seychellois Creole: ), is an island country and archipelagic state consisting of 155 islands (as per the Constitution) in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, Victoria, ...
. It publishes a newspaper called ''The People''. It was known as the Seychelles People's Progressive Front () from 1978/9 to June 2009, when it changed its name to the People's Party (
Seychellois Creole
Seychellois Creole (), also known as Kreol, Seselwa Creole French, and Seselwa Creole is the French-based creole language spoken by the Seychellois Creole people, Seychelles Creole people of the Seychelles. It is one of the national language, na ...
: , PL). The party changed its name again in November 2018, from the People's Party to United Seychelles.
The party was founded in 1964 by
France-Albert René, under the name Seychelles People's United Party, and it was led by him from its inception. The party was the ruling party from 1977 to 2020 and was the sole legal party in the country from 1979 to 1991 (this period is referred to retrospectively as the "Second Republic"). The party is led by a Central Executive Committee.
Leading members of the party over the years have been René,
James Michel
James Alix Michel, Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean, GCSK (born 16 August 1944) is a Seychellois politician who served as the third President of Seychelles from 2004 to 2016. He previously served as vice president under his predeces ...
(formerly the chief of staff of the armed forces, information minister, finance minister and vice president from 1996 to 2004; he was the
President of Seychelles
This article contains a list of President (government title), presidents of the Seychelles, Republic of Seychelles.
Term limits
As of 2021, there is a two-term limit for the president in the Constitution of Seychelles. The term limit has not ...
from 2004 to 2016),
Guy Sinon,
Jacques Hodoul (a former foreign minister who was regarded as the party's chief ideologue),
Joseph Belmont (former Vice president of Seychelles), and Maxime Ferrari (a former René loyalist who later supported the opposition and wrote an autobiography).
Former Vice president of Seychelles
Vincent Meriton has been the leader of the party since June 2017 (party president). He is the third president of the party since its creation in 1964. Meriton was preceded by former President of Seychelles James Michel.
During the era of one-party rule, the party was funded by dues paid by its members and from foreign governments including
Tanzania
Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
,
Algeria
Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
,
Libya
Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...
and
East Germany
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
.
The party maintains branches in each electoral district and utilizes an extensive system of patronage. At the
parliamentary election in 2011, the party won 88.56% of the popular vote and all 31 seats in the
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...
. That fell to 49.22% and 14 seats in the national assembly after the
parliamentary election in 2016, leaving the party in parliamentary opposition for the first time.
From 1993 (when opposition parties were legalised) to 2011, candidates from the party won all the presidential elections in the first round,
while in 2016 they won in the second round, and in 2020 they lost for the first time. The party also held a majority in the National Assembly independence until 2016. Seychelles opposition candidate
Wavel Ramkalawan
Wavel Ramkalawan (born 15 March 1961) is a Seychellois politician and Anglican priest who has been serving as the President of Seychelles since 26 October 2020. Ramkalawan was an opposition MP from 1993 to 2011 and 2016 to 2020. He also served as ...
won in the
2020 Seychellois general election
General elections were held in Seychelles on 22–24 October 2020 to elect the President and members of the National Assembly. The National Assembly elections had been due in 2021, but in July 2020 were brought forward by President Danny Faur ...
with 54.9 percent of valid votes cast, upsetting incumbent President
Danny Faure of United Seychelles. The party lost its first presidential poll in over 40 years since Seychelles gained independence. United Seychellois lost also in the General Assembly elections and
Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) held its clear majority in the parliament.
After
Vincent Meriton stepped down as party leader,
Patrick Herminie was elected as the new leader in 2021. In October 2023, Herminie was charged by the Seychellois public prosecutor with
witchcraft
Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...
. He denied the charges and described them as politically motivated.
In February 2024, the witchcraft accusations were lifted by the Victoria public prosecutor's office.
Electoral history
Presidential elections
National Assembly elections
Former logos
Notable people
*
Joevana Charles
*
Ansley Constance
*
Charles DeCommarmond
*
Ginette Gamatis
*
Wilby Lucas
*
Marc Naiken
*
Roy Nibourette
*
David Payet
*
Marie-Antoinette Rose
*
Vicky Theresine
*
Jennifer Vel
*
Marc Volcere
Notes
References
External links
United SeychellesWebsite of ''The People'' newspaper
{{Authority control
Political parties in Seychelles
Parties of one-party systems
Formerly ruling communist parties
Political parties established in 1964
1964 establishments in Africa
Socialism in Seychelles