Seychelles

Seychelles A state in the Indian Ocean north of Madagascar, consisting of 82 islands. Under French sovereignty from 1743, the islands became part of the British Empire in 1814. They were governed from Mauritius until they became a separate Crown Colony in 1903. In 1964, France-Albert René (b. 1935) founded the Seychelles People's United Party (SPUP), which demanded independence. It was opposed by the Seychelles Democratic Party (SDP), which was funded by the small, landowning (White) elite and demanded closer ties with the UK instead. The British granted universal suffrage in 1970, and autonomy in 1975. The islands became independent on 29 May 1976.

René assumed power in a coup in 1977, and subsequently modelled his socialist policies on Nyerere's example in Tanzania. The SPUP was reformed into the Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF) in 1977. It promoted the development of tourism, which subsequently became the Seychelles' most important economic sector: in 1991, income from tourism was double that from all its other exports combined, making the Seychelles one of the most affluent states (per capita) in Africa. In the early 1990s René introduced some economic liberalization, as well as democratic reforms. René won the elections of 1993 and 1998. To persuade investors of the Republic's political stability despite a deep economic crisis, René called early elections in 2001, which he won amidst allegations of corruption from the opposition.