The Seychelles is to go into a presidential election runoff on Dec. 16 after all six candidates in the first round failed to secure a 50 percent share of the vote, Seychellois Electoral Commission Chairman Hendrick Gappy said on Sunday.
The Indian Ocean archipelago nation of 115 islands and 93,000 people went to the polls to pick a new president on Thursday in the three-day vote.
The incumbent Seychellois President James Michel, 71, won 47.76 percent of the 62,004 votes that were cast, while his closest challenger, Wavel Ramkalawan, a 54-year old Anglican priest, scored 33.93 percent.
“We will have to go into a second round,” Gappy said.
Michel, who touted his economic credentials during the campaigns, said the result showed his Parti Lepep — or People’s Party in Creole — was still dominant.
“We got more votes than any other party. We missed by only 2 percent. We are ready for the second round,” he said.
The economy, which relies on tourism, but also has expanding fisheries and financial services industries, is forecast to expand by more than 4 percent this year, according to the IMF.
Ramkalawan, who ran on a Seychelles National Party ticket, thanked his voters for helping force a second round for the first time ever.
“The opposition has more supporters. Michel, we will come after you as the army of the opposition,” he said.
Opposition supporters poured into the streets of the capital — waving green flags — joining those of Michel, who drove vehicles draped with red flags. Both sides viewed the results as favoring them.
Voters said new entrants had drawn away support from the nation’s two main political blocs, resulting in the need to go to a runoff.
“The newcomers in the presidential race took votes from the two traditional runners,” said Emmanuel Guy, a voter, who waited outside the counting hall all night for the announcement of the results.
He did not say who he voted for.
Patrick Pillay, a former minister in Michel’s Cabinet, secured 14.19 percent of the vote. Voter turnout at 87.40 percent was one of the highest seen in the Seychelles.
The vote echoed debate in many African nations on the mainland about leadership term limits.
Ramkalawan and his party said no president should serve three terms, currently allowed by the constitution.
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