New elections needed if presidency becomes prematurely vacant |10 March 2017
New elections will be required if the Seychelles president dies, resigns or is removed from office.
In an extraordinary session chaired by President Danny Faure, the Cabinet, this week, approved for a change in the manner of succession to the presidency in the event that the post of president becomes prematurely vacant.
Under the proposed amendment, the vice-president would become president until such time that an election for a new president was held under Article 51 of the Constitution.
Article 51 of Seychelles’ Constitution says the country’s vice-president assumes power in the event of the president’s death, resignation or removal from office. But the Constitution previously did not say that new elections must be held.
Speaking to Seychelles NATION, Attorney General Rony Govinden explained that according to Schedule 3 section 4 (b) of the Constitution, a presidential election will take place during the period of three months beginning with the date when the office became vacant.
This means that there will be no more passing of power.
Attorney General Govinden however added that the proposal will only become law when it is gazetted.
The passing of power is a point that has been challenged on several occasions by opposition parties after two former presidents – France Albert Rene and James Michel – handed over power.
In 2004, President France Albert Rene retired and handed over power to his Vice-President, James Michel, who went on to win the presidential elections in 2006, 2011 and 2015 but resigned in October 2016 to hand over power to Danny Faure who was the vice-president.
In the first meeting between President Faure and the opposition parties under the Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) banner in October 2016, it was agreed that this constitutional provision would be amended so that there will be no more transfers of power.
Seychelles NATION has learned that the two sides had agreed that the necessary Constitutional amendment should be undertaken by March this year and that the changes will also become law soon.