Will the Seychelles presidential election go to a runoff?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Runoff Election: Scheduled for October 9-11.
- Candidates: Patrick Herminie vs. Wavel Ramkalawan.
- Vote Percentages: Herminie received 48.8%, Ramkalawan 46.4%.
- National Assembly Results: United Seychelles won 20 seats.
- Presidential Term: Lasts for five years.
Victoria, Sep 28 (NationPress) The Electoral Commission of Seychelles declared on Sunday that the nation will move forward with a runoff presidential election, as no candidate achieved a majority in the initial round.
The results from the first round of the presidential election were disclosed on Sunday. Among the eight contenders, Patrick Herminie from the United Seychelles, the primary opposition party, received 48.8 percent of the votes, while the incumbent President Wavel Ramkalawan from the Seychellois Democratic Union (Linyon Demokratik Seselwa -- LDS) obtained 46.4 percent.
The Electoral Commission stated that the runoff is set to occur from October 9 to 11, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
According to the Constitution of Seychelles, the presidential term lasts five years. A candidate must secure more than half of the votes in the first round to be declared the winner. If no candidate achieves this majority, the top two candidates will proceed to a second round of voting.
On the same day, the Electoral Commission announced the results of the National Assembly election. The United Seychelles secured 20 seats, while the LDS obtained 15.
"I would like to express my gratitude to the people of Seychelles for making the wise decision to reassess the representation percentage in the National Assembly and for granting me nearly 49 percent support to advance to a second round," Herminie stated shortly after the official results were announced.
In response, Ramkalawan congratulated the United Seychelles for their majority in the National Assembly, remarking, "This is my second experience heading into a second round."
"I only pray for peace, that we conduct a civilized campaign, and I eagerly anticipate this next challenge," he added.