Editing Seychelles (section)

=== Independence ===
In 1976, Seychelles gained independence from the [[United Kingdom]] as a republic. It has since become a member of the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]].<ref name="History of Seychelles">{{cite web |url=http://www.seychelles.com/en/about_seychelles/history.php |title=History of Seychelles |publisher=seychelles.com |year=2009 |access-date=9 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608091646/http://www.seychelles.com/en/about_seychelles/history.php |archive-date=8 June 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the 1970s Seychelles was "the place to be seen, a playground for film stars and the international jet set".<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">Joanna Symons (21 March 2005). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africaandindianocean/seychelles/732553/Seychelles-Lifes-a-breeze-near-the-equator.html "Seychelles: Life's a breeze near the equator"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504225308/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africaandindianocean/seychelles/732553/Seychelles-Lifes-a-breeze-near-the-equator.html |date=4 May 2018 }}. ''Telegraph.co.uk''.</ref> In 1977, a [[1977 Seychelles coup d'état|coup d'état]] by [[France Albert René]] ousted the first president of the republic, [[James Mancham]].<ref name="africanhistory.about.com">{{cite web |url=http://africanhistory.about.com/od/seychelles/p/SeychellesHist1.htm |title=africanhistory.about.com |publisher=africanhistory.about.com |access-date=23 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314184227/http://africanhistory.about.com/od/seychelles/p/SeychellesHist1.htm |archive-date=14 March 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref> René discouraged over-dependence on tourism and declared that he wanted "to keep Seychelles for the Seychellois".<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/>

The 1979 constitution declared a [[One party rule in Seychelles|socialist one-party state]], which lasted until 1991.<ref>{{cite web |title=Seychelles – Return to a Multiparty System |url=https://countrystudies.us/seychelles/26.htm |website=countrystudies.us}}</ref>

In the 1980s there were a series of coup attempts against President René, some of which were supported by South Africa. In 1981, [[Mike Hoare]] led a team of 43 South African mercenaries masquerading as holidaying rugby players in the [[1981 Seychelles coup d'état attempt]].<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/> There was a gun battle at the airport, and most of the mercenaries later escaped in a hijacked [[Air India]] plane.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/> The leader of this hijacking was German mercenary D. Clodo, a former member of the [[Rhodesian Special Air Service|Rhodesian SAS]].<ref>Hoare, Mike The Seychelles Affair (Transworld, London, 1986; {{ISBN|0-593-01122-8}})</ref> Clodo later stood trial in South Africa (where he was acquitted) as well as in his home country Germany for air piracy.<ref>Bartus László: Maffiaregény {{ISBN|9634405967}}, Budapest 2001</ref>

In 1986, an attempted coup led by the Seychelles Minister of Defence, Ogilvy Berlouis, caused President René to request assistance from India. In [[Operation Flowers are Blooming]], the Indian Navy's [[Nilgiri-class frigate (1972)|Nilgiri-class frigate]] [[INS Vindhyagiri (F42)|''Vindhyagiri'']] arrived in Port Victoria to help avert the coup.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Brewster |first1=David |last2=Rai |first2=Ranjit |date=10 August 2014 |title=Flowers Are Blooming: the story of the India Navy's secret operation in the Seychelles. |url=https://www.academia.edu/7698363 |url-status=live |journal=[[Academia]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607235023/http://www.academia.edu/7698363/Flowers_Are_Blooming_the_story_of_the_India_Navys_secret_operation_in_the_Seychelles |archive-date=7 June 2015 |access-date=11 August 2014 }}</ref>

The first draft of a new constitution failed to receive the requisite 60% of voters in 1992, but an amended version was approved in 1993.<ref>{{cite web |title=FAO.org |url=https://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/en/c/LEX-FAOC132619/ |website=www.fao.org}}</ref>

In June 2012, during a conference at the [[United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development]] in [[Rio de Janeiro]], a commitment was made by the Seychelles government to protect 30% of its 1.35 million square kilometre marine waters within the country's marine protected areas.

In January 2013, Seychelles declared a state of emergency when the tropical [[cyclone Felleng]] caused torrential rain, and flooding and landslides destroyed hundreds of houses.<ref name="UN">{{cite web|url=http://www.un-spider.org/about-us/news/en/6428/2013-02-01t161200/international-chapter-activated-flooding-republic-seychelles|title=International Chapter activated for flooding in the Republic of Seychelles|publisher=United Nation|access-date=1 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203214223/http://www.un-spider.org/about-us/news/en/6428/2013-02-01t161200/international-chapter-activated-flooding-republic-seychelles|archive-date=3 February 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="AL">{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/weather/2013/01/201312993838165255.html|title=State of Emergency declared in the Seychelles|publisher=Aljazeera|access-date=1 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130060303/http://www.aljazeera.com/weather/2013/01/201312993838165255.html|archive-date=30 January 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following the coup in 1977, the president always represented the same political party until the October [[2020 Seychellois general election]], which was historic in that the opposition party won. [[Wavel Ramkalawan]] was the first president who did not represent United Seychelles (the current name of the former Seychelles People's Progressive Front).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/25/seychelles-election-marks-first-opposition-victory-in-44-years|title=Seychelles election marks first opposition victory in 44 years|website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |date=25 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54692210|title=Seychelles elections: How a priest rose to become president|work=BBC News|date=28 October 2020}}</ref>

In January 2023, Seychelles announced its final stages of completing its marine spatial plan. It would become the second largest ocean area at {{convert|1.35|e6km2|sqmi|abbr=unit}} behind [[Norway]], in support of its [[blue economy]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ocean conservation: Seychelles' marine spatial plan in final stages of completion |url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/18023/Ocean+conservation+Seychelles+marine+spatial+plan+in+final+stages+of+completion |website=www.seychellesnewsagency.com}}</ref>