Shock, sadness, confusion and joy: Mixed reactions to the Seychelles after the surprise resignation of President Michel
Victoria Seychelles | September 28, 2016, Wednesday @ 10:21 p.m. in In French ' POLICY | By: Sharon Urania, Patsy Athanasius, Salif Keita Magnan, Madiha Philo and Séverine Martin | Views: 269
The historic building of the presidential palace where sits the President of Seychelles. (Gerard Larose, Seychelles Tourism Board)
( Seychelles News Agency ) - On Wednesday, Seychelles nation still digesting the news of the announcement of the resignation of President James Michel 16 October and the Vice President Danny Faure will chair. Michel announced his surprise decision in a televised speech Tuesday night.
While many people expressed their astonishment, others have expressed sadness and joy.
Although the Party Lepep , the political party of President Michel, come just been defeated in parliamentary elections in September, losing for the first time since 1993 the majority in the National Assembly, Michel was only in the first year of its latest five-year term as president.
At age 72, President Michel has been in power for 12 years. He was also Minister of the Government for nearly 40 years.
Most residents who spoke to the SNA said they did not expect that the president resign so early in his new mandate.
Reactions on the streets of Victoria
" I did not expect that. It's a good and I hope the next president will be as good as him [ President James Michel ], "said Mary Maria.
"I have a feeling it did not provide sufficient detail to explain the reasons for his resignation. I do not think it's normal to take such a decision while its five-year term is completed. While all this is in conformity with the constitution, as a supporter of [the Party] Lepep I do not think cede power was the right decision, "said Paul Clifford to the SNA.
"I am shocked, that's all I can say," said Vincent Jeanevole.
" I am happy. It was time. Forty years [of Party Lepep to power] is too long. Personally I am not convinced by the merits of handing over power to a new leader. I think a new election would be needed. Citizens should be the only ones to choose their president, "said Jean Claude Hoareau.
"I have a broken heart he resigned because I am a strong supporter of the SPPF [former name of the Party Lepep ], so I do not like, I would have preferred it remains and he finishes his five-year term, "said Joubert Elzida.
"I think his decision was premature. He should provide more support to the people and to his supporters because now this sounds like a defeat for his people. He should have stayed and reassure his supporters, and later when the work would have continued with the opposition so he could have resigned. Now he has left his supporters in a hole and they do not understand what is happening, "said Fred Nalletamby.
"This is shocking news. Personally, I am not affiliated to any political party, but if you look at the way democracy works in our country, we are seeing how to actually place democracy. I think the President is afraid of the challenge, "said Steve Elizabeth.
The leader of the LDS stated that the reasons for the resignation are not clear enough
Michel is the Seychelles government's head since 2004, since former President France Albert René, who had been in power for 27 years, has given him the presidency. Michel, who is also the leader of the Party Lepep [People's Party] won the elections in 2006 and 2011.
His decision to step down comes just 10 months after the start of his third and final five-year term as head of government of the island nation. Michel was declared the winner of the presidential race in December 2015, by winning 50.15 percent of votes cast.
His surprise announcement comes the same day of the inauguration of the new National Assembly which is now controlled by the opposition coalition Linyon Demokratik Seselwa ( LDS ).
The leader of the LDS , Mancienne told the SNA that the reasons given for the resignation of President Michel "are not sufficiently clear. "
"The reasons for this decision should be clear for the people of Seychelles," said Mancienne, adding that the assumption is that his resignation was linked to the election of the new National Assembly.
"His resignation was announced the same day the new National Assembly met for the first time. We believe it would be irresponsible for the president to make a decision on that basis. "
Speaking on the proposed successor to President, Mancienne said the Vice President Danny Faure "did not win this election therefore the LDS calls for a new presidential election. "
The decision to appoint Faure to the presidency for a term count
The Attorney General Ronny Govinden said the Seychelles Constitution allows the president to resign at any time during his tenure.
"There is no time limit on when he can. He can resign one day after his election or the last day of his term, "said Govinden the SNA, adding that the government did not provide the reasons for his resignation.
In his speech, President Michel said Wednesday he will send his resignation letter to the president of the National Assembly, Patrick Pillay, as stipulated in the constitution.
According Govinden, the President may indicate whether the resignation takes effect immediately or not.
"In this case, the president announced that his vice president will assume leadership of the country on October 16, so it remains president until the day when he will hand over power to Vice President Faure," he Explain.
The Seychelles Constitution provides that the Vice President can assume power in case of death, resignation or removal of the president instead of re new elections.
Govinden explained that "insofar as the vice president takes over before the expiry of two thirds of office of the president, it will count as one term. "
This means that under the constitutional amendment approved in April , which limits the presidential term to two terms of five years, compared with initially three five-year terms, Faure will stand for one further term of five years.
As soon as he took office, Faure will name his vice president and ministers, who must then be approved by the National Assembly.
Govinden explained that "it will require a simple majority for both appointments and if the National Assembly does not approve the appointments of the President, the National Assembly will have to reach an agreement and a compromise in Because the country needs a vice president and ministers. "
This is the second time in history that a president resigns Seychelles. In 2004, former President France Albert René, the founder of the Seychelles People's United Party (SPUP) now Party Lepep , resigned to make way for his running mate, James Michel in order to resume power.
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