GOVERNMENT
The president is both the chief of state and head of government and is elected by popular vote for a 5-year term. The Council of Ministers serves as a cabinet, and its members are appointed by the president. The unicameral National Assembly has 34 seats--25 elected by popular vote and 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve 5-year terms. The judicial branch includes a Court of Appeal and Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president. The legal system is based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law.
Seychelles has had a multi-party system with the adoption of a new constitution in 1993. Since then, multi-party elections took place in 1993, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2007, and 2008. The Parti Lepep won the presidency and majority in the National Assembly in all of the elections, except for the 2008 by-election that it boycotted.
Principal
Government Officials
President--James Michel
(Head of Defense, Police, Internal Affairs, Legal Affairs, Risk and Disaster Management)
Vice President--Joseph Belmont
(Head of Transport and Tourism and Public Administration)
Ambassador to the U.S.--Ronny Jumeau
(simultaneously accredited to the United Nations, the United States, and Canada)
Government
Type: Multiple-party republic.
Independence: June 29, 1976.
Constitution: June 18, 1993.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state
and head of government). Legislative--Unicameral National Assembly
with 34 seats (25 directly elected and 9 allocated on a proportional
basis). Judicial--Supreme Court, Appeals Court.
Political parties: Democratic Party (DP), Seychelles
National Party (SNP), Seychelles People Progressive Front (SPPF).
Suffrage: Universal over 17.
