Constitution:
18 June 1993
Legal system:
based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law
Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006
(next to be held in 2011)
election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent
of vote - James MICHEL (SPPF) 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (SNP) 45.71%,
Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which
President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as
president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in
April 2004
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25
elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to
parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next to be held in December
2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,
DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Daniel BELLE]; Mouvement
Seychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL]; Seychelles National
Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or
UO); Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert
RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Roman Catholic Church; trade unions
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeremie BONNELAME
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786