An opposition coalition — Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) — has won parliamentary polls held in Seychelles, the Electoral Commission confirmed early Sunday. LDS has won majority votes in 15 of the 25 constituencies contested, while the ruling Parti Lepep took the remaining 10. It’s the first time since the return of multiparty democracy in Seychelles in 1993 that the ruling Parti Lepep has lost its majority in parliament. LDS is a coalition of four main parties including the Seychelles National Party (SNP) which boycotted the 2011 parliamentary polls. The leader of LDS Roger Mancienne said the result marks “a historic step” for the country. “It’s historic because it’s the first time that we have a transition of power in one of the branches of government – the legislature,” said Mancienne, adding that the transition had occured in a peaceful and orderly manner.
For his part the leader of Parti Lepep also the Seychelles President James Michel conceded his party’s defeat in the elections. “The people have spoken, the people have decided and the people’s decision is supreme and my party respects the people’s opinion,” said Michel while calling for peaceful celebrations and respect for each other’s opinion.
For the first time in a Seychelles election, the Electoral Commission announced provisional results as and when they started to come in after 11 p.m. However, the population had to wait until after 4.00 am on Sunday to receive official results. The third and final day of voting in the 115-island archipelago in the western Indian Ocean on Saturday saw the majority of the 71,932 eligible voters head to the polls.
Full Article: Opposition coalition — LDS — wins Seychelles’ National Assembly in historic electoral transition – Seychelles News Agency.