Seychelles court validates presidential win

The Seychelles’ Constitutional Court on Tuesday validated President James Michel’s victory in the December elections, dismissing an opposition party appeal to overturn the results.

Michel, who won a second-round vote in December by the slimmest of margins, described the ruling as a “landmark victory for the rule of law and democracy” saying in a statement that it was a “powerful affirmation of judicial independence and impartiality”.

The electoral commission said that Michel, 71, had won the second round of the election by just 193 votes — with 50.15 percent support against 49.85 percent for his rival, five-time loser Wavel Ramkalawan.

The opposition Seychelles National Party (SNP) claimed neither won an outright majority, arguing that 1,062 invalid votes should have also been counted in the overall total. The court rejected their argument.

Michel has already been sworn into office for a third term alongside his vice-president Danny Faure.

A former British colony, the Seychelles is made up of 115 islands lying off the coast of east Africa, some scattered up to a thousand kilometres (600 miles) from Victoria.