Opposition leader Patrick Herminie wins presidential runoff election in Seychelles

VICTORIA, Seychelles (AP) — Opposition leader Patrick Herminie won the presidential election in Seychelles, defeating incumbent leader Wavel Ramkalawan in a runoff vote, according to official results released early Sunday.

Herminie garnered 52.7% of the vote, with Ramkalawan taking 47.3%, the results showed.

Herminie represents the United Seychelles party, which led the country for four decades before it lost power in 2020. It was the governing party from 1977 to 2020. Ramkalawan, of the governing Linyon Demokratik Seselwa party, sought a second term.

“The people have spoken,” Herminie said in brief remarks after he was declared the president-elect. “I am deeply humbled by the trust the people have placed in me, and I formally accept this mandate with gratitude, a profound sense of duty and an unshakeable faith in the strength and character of the Seychellois people.”

Herminie served as speaker of the national assembly between 2007 and 2016.

A majority of lawmakers in parliament will allow his party “to work collaboratively and constructively to deliver the best possible outcomes for our people," Herminie said.

The race between the two main contenders in Seychelles’ election was decided in a runoff after there was no outright winner in the presidential vote two weeks ago.

Early voting began Thursday, but most people in the island nation voted on Saturday.

Both Herminie and Ramkalawan ran spirited campaigns trying to address key issues for voters, including environmental damage and a crisis of drug addiction in a country long seen as a tourist haven.

The country has become synonymous with luxury and environmental travel, which has bumped Seychelles to the top of the list of Africa’s richest countries by gross domestic product per capita, according to the World Bank.

But opposition to the governing party grew in recent months.

A week before the first round of voting, activists sued the government, challenging a recent decision to issue a long-term lease for a 400,000-square-meter (100-acre) area on Assomption, one of the country's 115 islands, to a Qatari company to develop a luxury hotel.

The lease, which includes reconstruction of an airstrip to facilitate access for international flights, has ignited widespread criticism that it favors foreign interests over Seychelles’ welfare and sovereignty.

Seychelles is especially vulnerable to climate change, including rising sea levels, according to the World Bank and the U.N. Sustainable Development Group.

It also faces an addiction crisis fueled by heroin. A 2017 U.N. report described the country as a major drug transit route, and the 2023 Global Organized Crime Index said that the island nation has one of the world’s highest rates of heroin addiction.

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Supporters of President-elect Patrick Herminie celebrate after his winning in the runoff presidential election outside the Electoral Commision Headquarters in Victoria, Seychelles on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilie Chetty)

Seychelle's incumbent President Wavel Ramkalawan gives a speech conceding defeat in the runoff presidential election at the Electoral Commission Headquarters in Victoria, Seychelles, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilie Chetty)

President-elect Patrick Herminie, left, speaks with incumbent leader Wavel Ramkalawan, right, after winning in the runoff presidential election at Mont Fleuri Secondary School polling station in Victoria, Seychelles, on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilie Chetty)

President-elect Patrick Herminie gives a speech after winning the runoff presidential election at the Electoral Commission Headquarters in Victoria, Seychelles, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilie Chetty)

Election commission members count ballots after voting in a runoff presidential election at Mont Fleuri Secondary School polling station in Victoria, Seychelles, on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilie Chetty)

Electoral commission staff monitor as people cast their votes in a runoff presidential election at Mont Fleuri Secondary School, Mont Fleuri, Mahe, Seychelles, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilie Chetty)

People line up to cast their votes in a runoff presidential election at Mont Fleuri Secondary School, Mont Fleuri, Mahe, Seychelles, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilie Chetty)

People line up to cast their votes in a runoff presidential election at Mont Fleuri Secondary School, Mont Fleuri, Mahe, Seychelles, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilie Chetty)

People line up to cast their votes in a runoff presidential election at Mont Fleuri Secondary School, Mont Fleuri, Mahe, Seychelles, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilie Chetty)

President Wavel Ramkalawan casts his vote in a runoff presidential election between him and opposition challenger Patrick Herminie, at Belonie Secondary School in St Louis, Mahe, Seychelles, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilie Chetty)

ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Australia star Steve Smith was ruled out of the third Ashes cricket test against England just before the toss of the coin on Wednesday because of a lingering illness.

Smith led Australia to eight-wicket wins in Perth and Brisbane in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins. He hit the winning runs in Brisbane as Australia took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Veteran opener Usman Khawaja was recalled to the starting lineup as a last-minute replacement for Smith. Khawaja missed the second test with a back injury.

Fast bowler Cummins won the toss and elected to bat in his first test since sustaining a back injury in July. England needs a victory in the third test to have any chance of reclaiming the Ashes.

Players wore wearing black armbands to honor the 15 people killed and dozens injured in an antisemitic attack at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday that targeted the Jewish community celebrating the start of Hannukah.

Police described the mass shooting as a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State.

Flags were flown at half-mast at the Adelaide Oval on Day 1 of the third test.

Folk singer John Williamson performed his fabled song “True Blue” in a pre-match program that included a moment’s silence, the Indigenous “Welcome to Country” and the Australian and England anthems.

The late withdrawal of Smith meant there were three changes to Australia's XI from the second test, with Cummins and veteran spinner Nathan Lyon returning at the expense of pace bowlers Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser and Khawaja switching back into the batting lineup at No. 4.

Australia team management said Smith had been feeling unwell in recent days with symptoms including nausea and dizziness.

“He was assessed and monitored closely and was close to being available to play. However, given the persistence of the symptoms, a decision was made not to proceed,” the team said in a statement. Smith is being treated for inner ear issues.

“This is something Steve has experienced intermittently in the past and is being managed accordingly.”

Smith is expected to be available for the fourth test, starting Dec. 26 in Melbourne.

England made one change, with Josh Tongue replacing fellow fast bowler Gus Atkinson.

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Lineups:

Australia: Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Australia's Mitchell Starc warms up during play on day one of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia at the Adelaide Oval, in Adelaide, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

England's Ben Stokes walks after coin toss during play on day one of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Australia's Jake Weatherald, left, and Australia's captain Steve Smith walk off the field after winning the second Ashes cricket test match between Australia and England in Brisbane, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)