Editing Seychelles (section)

== Politics==
{{main|Politics of Seychelles}}
The Seychelles president, who is [[head of state]] and [[head of government]], is elected by popular vote for a five-year term of office. The cabinet is presided over and appointed by the president, subject to the approval of a majority of the legislature. As of 2023, the president is [[Wavel Ramkalawan]].

The [[unicameral]] Seychellois parliament, the [[National Assembly (Seychelles)|National Assembly]] or ''Assemblée Nationale'', consists of 35 members, 26 of whom are elected directly by popular vote, while the remaining nine seats are appointed proportionally according to the percentage of votes received by each party. All members serve five-year terms.

The [[Supreme Court of Seychelles]], created in 1903, is the highest trial court in Seychelles and the first court of appeal from all the lower courts and tribunals. The highest court of law in Seychelles is the Seychelles Court of Appeal, which is the court of final appeal in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bas.sc/seychelles-legal-system/the-judiciary|title=The Judiciary|publisher=Bar Association of Seychelles|access-date=18 February 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301051942/http://www.bas.sc/seychelles-legal-system/the-judiciary|archive-date=1 March 2016}}</ref>

=== Political culture ===
[[File:James Michel in meeting.jpg|thumb|President [[James Michel]] in his office in [[Victoria, Seychelles|Victoria]], 2009]]
Seychelles' long-term president [[France-Albert René]] came to power after his supporters overthrew the first president [[James Mancham]] on 5 June 1977 in a [[coup d'état]] and installed him as president. René was at that time the prime minister. René ruled as a [[strongman (politics)|strongman]] under a [[socialist]] [[one-party system]] until 1993, when he was forced to introduce a multi-party system. He stepped down in 2004 in favour of his vice-president, [[James Michel]], who was re-elected in [[2006 Seychellois presidential election|2006]], [[2011 Seychellois presidential election|2011]] and again in [[2015 Seychellois presidential election|2015]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/4301/James+Michel+secures+third+term+winning+.+percent+votes+in+Seychelles+presidential+run-off|title=James Michel secures third term winning 50.15 percent votes in Seychelles presidential run-off|website=www.seychellesnewsagency.com}}</ref><ref name="Seychelles Nation">{{cite web | title=Results reflect popular will, observers say | work=Seychelles Nation | url=http://www.nation.sc/index.php?art=23584 | access-date=30 May 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928140238/http://www.nation.sc/index.php?art=23584 | archive-date=28 September 2011 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="Reuters">{{cite news  | title=Seychelles re-elects President Michel  | work=Reuters  | url=https://af.reuters.com/article/seychellesNews/idAFLDE74K0E820110521?sp=true  | access-date=23 May 2011 | date=21 May 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725212131/http://af.reuters.com/article/seychellesNews/idAFLDE74K0E820110521?sp=true  | archive-date=25 July 2012 | url-status=dead  | df=dmy-all  }}</ref><ref name="Agence France-Presse">{{cite web|title=Vote buying claims mar Seychelles election |work=Agence France-Presse |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ix-TzZJRTJJ_PAHQoACqmS7xSQ3Q?docId=CNG.07d4a47a8ce76f0e07e322726bdf65a2.b1 |date=19 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525013907/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ix-TzZJRTJJ_PAHQoACqmS7xSQ3Q?docId=CNG.07d4a47a8ce76f0e07e322726bdf65a2.b1 |archive-date=25 May 2012 }}</ref> On 28 September 2016, the Office of the President announced that Michel would step down effective 16 October, and that Vice President [[Danny Faure]] would complete the rest of Michel's term.<ref>{{cite web |title=Seychelles vice president to complete term of resigning president |author=George Thande |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-seychelles-politics-idUSKCN11Y0DM |work=Reuters |date=28 September 2016 |access-date=28 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160929145955/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-seychelles-politics-idUSKCN11Y0DM |archive-date=29 September 2016 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

On 26 October 2020, [[Wavel Ramkalawan]], a 59-year-old Anglican priest, was elected the fifth President of the Republic of Seychelles. Ramkalawan was an opposition MP from 1993 to 2011, and from 2016 to 2020. He served as the [[Leader of the Opposition (Seychelles)|Leader of the Opposition]] from 1998 to 2011 and from 2016 to 2020. Ramkalawan defeated incumbent Danny Faure by 54.9% to 43.5%. This marked the first time the opposition had won a presidential election in Seychelles.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54681360|title=Seychelles election: Wavel Ramkalawan in landmark win|work=BBC News|date=25 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/25/seychelles-opposition-candidate-wins-presidential-election |title=Seychelles opposition candidate wins presidential election |work=Al Jazeera |date=25 October 2020 |access-date=5 February 2021}}</ref>

The primary political parties are the former long-time ruling socialist [[People's Party (Seychelles)|People's Party]] (PP), known until 2009 as the Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF) now called [[United Seychelles]] (US), and the [[social liberalism|socially liberal]] [[Seychelles National Party]] (SNP).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seychelles4u.com/Seychelles-Info/mobile|title=Seychellen4you – Seychelles Info|website=www.seychelles4u.com|language=de-DE|access-date=21 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322020108/http://www.seychelles4u.com/Seychelles-Info/mobile/|archive-date=22 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[2020 Seychellois general election|election]] of the National Assembly was held on 22–24 October 2020. The Seychelles National Party, the Seychelles Party for Social Justice and Democracy and the Seychelles United Party formed a coalition, [[Linyon Demokratik Seselwa]] (LDS). LDS won 25 seats and US got 10 seats of the 35 seats of the National Assembly.<ref>{{cite news |title=EISA Seychelles: 2020 National Assembly election results overview |url=https://www.eisa.org/wep/sey2020results0.htm |work=www.eisa.org}}</ref>

=== Foreign relations ===
{{Further|Foreign relations of Seychelles}}

Seychelles is a member of the [[United Nations]], the [[African Union]], the [[Indian Ocean Commission]], [[La Francophonie]], the [[Southern African Development Community]] and the [[Commonwealth of Nations]].

Between 1979 and 1983, various plots to overthrow the non-aligned government of France-Albert Rene were, according to leading participants, supported by the United States, France, and South Africa. Commonly cited reasons for such attempts include Rene's socialist politics, his non-aligned stance toward the Western and Eastern Blocs, and the United States' military lease in the country, which was set to expire in 1990. All coup efforts in this period failed.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Blum |first=William |title=Killing Hope: US Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II |date=2014 |publisher=[[Zed Books Ltd]] |isbn=978-1-78360-177-6 |edition=Updated |location=London |pages=267–269}}</ref> Under the Obama administration, the US began running drone operations out of Seychelles.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Tomorrow's Battlefield: US Proxy Wars and Secret Ops in Africa|last=Turse|first=Nick|publisher=Haymarket Books|year=2015|isbn=978-1-60846-463-0|location=Chicago|pages=13, 55}}</ref> In the Spring of 2013, members of the [[Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Africa|Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa]] mentored troops in Seychelles, along with a variety of other African nations.<ref name=":0" />

=== Military ===
{{main|Seychelles People's Defence Force}}
The [[Military of Seychelles]] is the [[Seychelles People's Defence Force]] which consists of a number of distinct branches: an Infantry Unit and Coast Guard, Air Force and a Presidential Protection Unit. India has played and continues to play a key role in developing the military of Seychelles. After handing over two [[Trinkat-class patrol vessel|SDB Mk5 patrol vessels]] built by [[GRSE]], the INS ''Tarasa'' and INS ''Tarmugli'', to the [[Seychelles Coast Guard]], which were subsequently renamed [[PS Constant|PS ''Constant'']] and [[PS Topaz|PS ''Topaz'']], India also gifted a [[Dornier 228]] aircraft built by [[Hindustan Aeronautics Limited]].<ref>[http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-11-08/news/55894379_1_k-dhowan-maritime-security-indian-ocean "India gifts second fast attack craft INS Tarasa to the Seychelles Coast Guard"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402131651/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-11-08/news/55894379_1_k-dhowan-maritime-security-indian-ocean |date=2 April 2015 }}. ''Times of India''. 8 November 2014</ref> India also signed a pact to develop [[Assumption Island]]. Spread over {{convert|11|km2|0|abbr=on}}, it is strategically located in the [[Indian Ocean]], north of [[Madagascar]]. The island is being leased for the development of strategic assets by India.<ref>Shubhajit Roy (12 March 2015) [http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/india-seychelles-sign-four-pacts-to-boost-security-cooperation/ "India to develop strategic assets in 2 Mauritius, Seychelles islands"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311205408/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/india-seychelles-sign-four-pacts-to-boost-security-cooperation/ |date=11 March 2015 }}. ''The Indian Express''.</ref> In 2018, Seychelles signed the UN [[treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVI-9&chapter=26&clang=_en |title=Chapter XXVI: Disarmament&nbsp;– No. 9 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons |publisher=United Nations Treaty Collection |date=7 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=President of Seychelles signs treaty banning nuclear weapons, meets with leaders at UN |url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/9806/President+of+Seychelles+signs+treaty+banning+nuclear+weapons%2C+meets+with+leaders+at+UN |work=Seychelles News Agency |date=27 September 2018}}</ref>

=== Incarceration ===
{{Further|List of countries by incarceration rate}}
In 2014, Seychelles had the highest incarceration rate in the world of 799 prisoners per 100,000 population, exceeding the United States' rate by 15%.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.prisonstudies.org/highest-to-lowest/prison_population_rate?field_region_taxonomy_tid=All | title=Highest to Lowest – Prison Population Rates Across the World | publisher=World Prison Brief | date=2014 | access-date=22 October 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111000721/http://www.prisonstudies.org/highest-to-lowest/prison_population_rate?field_region_taxonomy_tid=All | archive-date=11 November 2016 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}</ref> However, the country's actual population was less than 100,000; as of September 2014, Seychelles had 735 actual prisoners, 6% of whom were female and were incarcerated in three prisons.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.prisonstudies.org/country/seychelles | title=Data for prison population in Seychelles | publisher=World Prison Brief | date=2014 | access-date=22 October 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107120440/http://prisonstudies.org/country/seychelles | archive-date=7 November 2016 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The incarceration rate in Seychelles has since dropped significantly. It is no longer among the top ten countries with the highest rate of incarceration. In 2022, the incarceration rate was 287 per 100,000 population, being just the 31st highest in the world.<ref>{{cite news |title=Incarceration Rates by Country 2022 |url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/incarceration-rates-by-country |work=worldpopulationreview.com}}</ref>

=== Modern piracy ===
Seychelles is a key participant in the fight against Indian Ocean [[piracy]] primarily committed by [[Piracy off the coast of Somalia#Effects and perceptions|Somali pirates]].<ref name="wc">{{cite web | url=http://www.worldcrunch.com/world-affairs/a-pirate-s-prison-tucked-inside-seychelles-paradise/c1s4825/#.VayUIflViko | title=A Pirate's Prison Tucked Inside Seychelles Paradise | publisher=Worldcrunch | date=6 March 2012 | access-date=22 October 2016 | author=Colonnello, Paolo | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161017100317/http://www.worldcrunch.com/world-affairs/a-pirate-s-prison-tucked-inside-seychelles-paradise/c1s4825/#.VayUIflViko | archive-date=17 October 2016 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}</ref> Former president [[James Michel]] said that piracy costs between $7&nbsp;million – $12&nbsp;million a year to the international community: "The pirates cost 4% of the Seychelles [[gross domestic product|GDP]], including direct and indirect costs for the loss of boats, fishing, and tourism, and the indirect investment for the maritime security." These are factors affecting local fishing – one of the country's main national resources – which had a 46% loss in 2008–2009.<ref name=wc/> International contributions of patrol boats, planes or drones have been provided to help Seychelles combat sea piracy.<ref name=wc/>

=== Administrative divisions ===
{{main|Districts of Seychelles}}

Seychelles is divided into twenty-six administrative regions comprising all of the inner islands. Eight of the districts make up the capital of Seychelles and are referred to as Greater [[Victoria, Seychelles|Victoria]]. Another 14 districts are considered the rural part of the main island of [[Mahé, Seychelles|Mahé]]. Two more districts divide the island of [[Praslin]] and one covers [[La Digue]] as well as satellite and other [[Granitic Seychelles|Inner Islands]]. The rest of the [[Outer Islands (Seychelles)|Outer Islands]] (''{{lang|fr|Îles Eloignées}}'') make up the last district recently created by the tourism ministry.
{{col-begin|width=auto}}
{{col-3}}
'''Greater Victoria'''
*[[Bel Air, Seychelles|Bel Air]]
*[[La Rivière Anglaise]] (''English River'')
*[[Les Mamelles]]
*[[Mont Buxton]]
*[[Mont Fleuri]]
*[[Plaisance, Seychelles|Plaisance]]
*[[Roche Caiman]]
*[[Saint Louis, Seychelles|Saint Louis]]
{{col-3}}
'''Rural Mahé'''
*[[Anse aux Pins]]
*[[Anse Boileau]]
*[[Anse Etoile]]
*[[Au Cap]]
*[[Anse Royale]]
*[[Baie Lazare]]
*[[Beau Vallon, Seychelles|Beau Vallon]]
*[[Bel Ombre, Seychelles|Bel Ombre]]
*[[Cascade, Seychelles|Cascade]]
*[[Glacis, Seychelles|Glacis]]
*[[Grand'Anse Mahé]]
*[[Pointe La Rue]]
*[[Port Glaud]]
*[[Takamaka, Seychelles|Takamaka]]
{{col-3}}
'''Praslin'''
*[[Baie Sainte Anne]] (Anse Volbert)
*[[Grand'Anse Praslin]] (Grande Anse)

'''La Digue and remaining Inner Islands'''
*[[La Digue]] (Anse Réunion)
{{col-end}}