National Assembly (Seychelles)

National Assembly

Seychellois Creole: Lasanble Nasyonal
French: Assemblée nationale
7th National Assembly
Logo of the National Assembly of Seychelles.
Logo of the National Assembly of Seychelles.
Type
Type
History
Founded30 July 1993 (1993-07-30)[1]
Preceded byPeople's Assembly of Seychelles
Leadership
Speaker
Roger Mancienne, LDS
since 28 October 2020
Deputy Speakers
Leader of Government Business
Bernard Georges, LDS
since 28 October 2019
Sebastien Pillay, US
since 28 October 2020
Structure
Seats35
Composition of the National Assembly of Seychelles after the 2020 General elections
Political groups
Government (25)
  •   LDS (25)

Opposition (10)

  •   US (10)
Length of term
5 years
Elections
Parallel voting
First election
20–23 July 1993
Last election
22–24 October 2020
Next election
Not before 31 October 2025
Motto
United in diversity
Seychellois Creole: Linite dans diversite
Meeting place
National Assembly Building, Victoria
Website
nationalassembly.sc
Constitution
Constitution of Seychelles
Politics of Seychelles
Constitution
Cabinet
Legislature
Judiciary
Elections
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations

The unicameral National Assembly (French: Assemblée nationale; Creole: Lasanble Nasyonal) is the Seychelles's legislative body.

The National Assembly in its current constellation formed following elections held on 22–24 October 2020, with a total of 35 members. The current Speaker of the National Assembly is Roger Mancienne, in office since 28 October 2020.[2]

Background

The current National Assembly was preceded by the Legislative Council of Seychelles from 1962 to 1970, the Legislative Assembly from 1970 to 1974, the House of Assembly from 1975 to 1976, the National Assembly 1976 to 1977 and the People's Assembly from 1979 to 1993.[3]

26 members are elected in single member constituencies using the simple majority (or First-past-the-post) system. The remaining up to nine members are elected through a system of proportional representation. Members serve five-year terms.[4]

The working language of the National Assembly is Seychellois Creole. With permission from the speaker, members may address the assembly in English or French. Visitors may address the assembly in other languages with the speaker's permission.[5]

List of speakers

Position Name Took office Left office Notes
Legislative Council of Seychelles Julian Asquith, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Asquith January 1962 February 1967 Also colonial governors

[6] [7]

Hugh Norman-Walker February 1967 January 1969
Bruce Greatbatch January 1969 November 1970
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Michel Lousteau-Lalanne 1970 1974 [8]
Speaker of the House of Assembly Michel Lousteau-Lalanne 1975 1976 [8]
Speaker of the National Assembly Michel Lousteau-Lalanne 1976 June 1977 [8]
In abeyance June 1977 1979 [9]
Chairman of the People's Assembly David Thomas 1979 1979 [8]
Chairman of the People's Assembly John Renaud 1979 1983 [8]
Chairman of the People's Assembly John Mascarenhas 1983 December 1987 [8]
Chairman of the People's Assembly Francis MacGregor December 1987 1993 [8]

Speakers and deputy speakers of the National Assembly of Seychelles since the 1993 multiparty elections:

Legislature Speaker Deputy Entered office Left office
First National Assembly Francis MacGregor Shelton Jolicoeur 30 July 1993 1998
Second National Assembly Francis MacGregor Shelton Jolicoeur 30 March 1998 2002
Third National Assembly Francis MacGregor Shelton Jolicoeur
Dick Esparon[10] 		17 December 2002 2007
Fourth National Assembly Patrick Herminie Wilby Lucas[11] 29 May 2007 2011
Fifth National Assembly Patrick Herminie Andre Pool 2011 September 2016
Sixth National Assembly Patrick Pillay Nicholas Prea 27 September 2016 29 January 2018
Nicholas Prea Ahmed Afif 6 March 2018 28 October 2020
Seventh National Assembly Roger Mancienne Gervais Henrie 28 October 2020 present

Parliamentary leaders

The members serving as Leader of Government Business since 1993:[12]

Legislature Member Party Entered office Left office
First National Assembly Danny Faure Seychelles People's Progressive Front 30 July 1993 1998
Second National Assembly Patrick Herminie Seychelles People's Progressive Front 30 March 1998 2002
Third National Assembly Patrick Herminie Seychelles People's Progressive Front 17 December 2002 2007
Fourth National Assembly Marie-Louise Potter Seychelles People's Progressive Front 29 May 2007 2011
Fifth National Assembly Marie-Louise Potter People's Party 2011 March 2012[13]
Marie-Antoinette Rose People's Party March 2012 May 2016[14]
Charles DeCommarmond People's Party 7 June 2016[14] September 2016
Sixth National Assembly Charles DeCommarmond United Seychelles 27 September 2016 28 October 2020
Seventh National Assembly Bernard Georges Linyon Demokratik Seselwa 28 October 2020 present

The members serving as Leader of the Opposition since 1993:[12]

Legislature Member Party Entered office Left office
First National Assembly James Mancham Seychelles Democratic Party 30 July 1993 1998
Second National Assembly Wavel Ramkalawan Seychelles National Party 30 March 1998 2002
Third National Assembly Wavel Ramkalawan Seychelles National Party 17 December 2002 2007
Fourth National Assembly Wavel Ramkalawan Seychelles National Party 29 May 2007 2011
Fifth National Assembly David Pierre Popular Democratic Movement 2011 15 May 2016
Francesca Monnaie Popular Democratic Movement 16 May 2016 September 2016
Sixth National Assembly Wavel Ramkalawan Linyon Demokratik Seselwa 27 September 2016 28 October 2020
Seventh National Assembly Sebastien Pillay United Seychelles 28 October 2020 present

2020 National Assembly elections

Main articles: 2020 Seychellois parliamentary election and 7th National Assembly (Seychelles)
The members of the seventh National Assembly (2020)

On 25 October, Wavel Ramkalawan was declared the winner of the presidential election with 54.91% of the vote, marking the first peaceful transfer of presidential power between different political parties since independence in 1976. He had run unsuccessfully in the presidential elections from 1998 onward. Danny Faure attended Ramkalawan's victory speech; in his speech, Ramkalawan emphasized reconciliation: "In this election, there were no losers, there were no winners — our country was given the opportunity as the ultimate winner."[15]

President

CandidateRunning matePartyVotes%
Wavel RamkalawanAhmed AfifLinyon Demokratik Seselwa35,56254.91
Danny FaureMaurice Loustau-LalanneUnited Seychelles28,17843.51
Alain St AngePeter SinonOne Seychelles1,0211.58
Total64,761100.00
Valid votes64,76198.10
Invalid/blank votes1,2561.90
Total votes66,017100.00
Registered voters/turnout74,63488.45
Source: ECS

National Assembly

PartyVotes%Seats
FPTPPRTotal+/–
Linyon Demokratik Seselwa35,20254.8420525+6
United Seychelles27,18542.356410–4
One Seychelles1,4202.21000New
Seychellois Alliance700.11000New
Independents3170.490000
Total64,194100.0026935+2
Valid votes64,19497.30
Invalid/blank votes1,7842.70
Total votes65,978100.00
Registered voters/turnout74,63488.40
Source: ECS

By constituency

Constituency LDS US OS Others Valid Total Turnout Registered
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
1 Anse Aux Pins 1496 52.8 1254 44.2 84 3.0 2834 2916 88 3304
2 Anse Boileau 1564 53.1 1340 45.5 41 1.4 2945 3012 89 3398
3 Anse Etoile 2161 62.0 1273 36.5 50 1.4 3484 3585 88 4064
4 Anse Royale 1343 46.4 1484 51.3 66 2.3 2893 2893 86 3375
5 Au Cap 1845 61.7 1081 36.2 41 1.4 23 0.8 2990 3071 88 3509
6 Baie Lazare 1324 55.0 1083 45.0 2407 2481 90 2756
7 Baie Ste Anne 1289 43.5 1383 46.7 292 9.9 2964 3051 89 3444
8 Beau Vallon 1727 60.0 913 31.7 239 8.3 2879 2963 87 3421
9 Bel Air 1025 51.7 870 43.9 87 4.4 1982 2028 88 2315
10 Belombre 1726 63.2 1005 36.8 2731 2822 87 3261
11 Cascade 1317 54.2 1084 44.6 27 1.1 2428 2495 90 2785
12 English River 1429 57.5 980 39.5 50 2.0 25 1.0 2484 2575 89 2908
13 Glacis 1713 62.2 985 35.8 55 2.0 2753 2826 86 3270
14 Grand Anse (Mahe) 1428 67.6 685 32.4 2113 2183 88 2478
15 Grand Anse (Praslin) 1296 51.8 1103 44.0 105 4.2 2504 2521 90 2810
16 Ile Perseverance 1438 53.2 1098 40.6 167 6.2 2703 2826 92 3083
17 Inner Islands 665 37.1 1105 61.7 22 1.2 1792 1838 90 2046
18 Les Mamelles 1177 58.1 827 40.8 22 1.1 2026 2084 90 2326
19 Mont Buxton 1449 58.5 993 40.1 35 1.4 2477 2552 89 2882
20 Mont Fleuri 1317 58.9 919 41.1 0.0 2236 2305 87 2643
21 Plaisance 1452 53.2 1221 44.8 55 2.0 2728 2845 87 3257
22 Pointe Larue 966 46.2 1096 52.4 28 1.3 2090 2142 89 2400
23 Port Glaud 870 48.4 929 51.6 1799 1856 92 2008
24 Roche Caiman 776 44.4 781 44.7 192 11.0 1749 1803 91 1990
25 Saint Louis 1281 59.9 781 36.5 78 3.6 2140 2187 85 2572
26 Takamaka 1128 54.7 912 44.2 23 1.1 2063 2118 91 2329
Total 35202 54.8 27185 42.3 1420 2.2 387 0.6 64194 65978 88 74634
Source: ECS

See also

References

  1. ^ Ernesta, Sharon (August 2, 2018). "8 facts about the logo of the Seychelles National Assembly". www.seychellesnewsagency.com. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
  2. ^ "New LDS-strong National Assembly sworn in". Seychelles Nation. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  3. ^ Allagain, Stanley. "Our History – The National Assembly of Seychelles".
  4. ^ "Seychelles National Assembly Election 2020". Election Commission Seychelles. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Standing Orders, 2020". The National Assembly of Seychelles. 2020-10-30. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  6. ^ "The Parliamentarian: Journal of the Parliaments of the Commonwealth". 1962.
  7. ^ "The Parliamentarian: Journal of the Parliaments of the Commonwealth". 1970.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g MacGregor, Francis E. (September 12, 2004). A Parliamentary History of Seychelles. F.E. MacGregor. ISBN 9789993160007 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "The Parliamentarian: Journal of the Parliaments of the Commonwealth". 1978.
  10. ^ "MFA Press Statement Presentation of Credentials". www.mfa.gov.sg.
  11. ^ "Dr Patrick Herminie is the new National Assembly Speaker-Wilby Lucas new Deputy Speaker, former Speaker McGregor retires -Archive -Seychelles Nation". nation.sc.
  12. ^ a b "History of the National Assembly". The National Assembly of Seychelles. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  13. ^ Georges. "Ambassador Potter retires from public service". Ministry of Youth Sports & Culture. Archived from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  14. ^ a b "Seychelles' National Assembly approves ambassador nominations". www.seychellesnewsagency.com. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
  15. ^ "Seychelles election: Wavel Ramkalawan in landmark win". BBC News. 2020-10-25. Retrieved 2020-10-27.