{{Short description|Political party in Seychelles}} {{EngvarB|date=June 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox political party | name = United Seychelles | native_name = | abbreviation = US | logo = Logo of the United Seychelles.svg | flag = | logo_size = 125 | colorcode = {{party color|United Seychelles}} | position = [[Centre-left]] to [[left-wing]] | ideology = [[Social democracy]]<br>[[Democratic socialism]]<br> '''1977–1991:'''<br />[[Socialism]]<ref name= Encyclopedia>{{cite book |last1=Schlager |first1=Neil |last2=Weisblatt |first2=Jayne |date=2006 |title=World Encyclopedia of Political Systems and Parties Fourth Edition |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hdxfAQAACAAJ |publisher=Facts On File Library of World History |page=1192-1194 |isbn=0816059535 |access-date=2025-03-17}}</ref>{{refn|Following the coup, René declared that he was not a [[Soviet-style Communist]], but an "[[Indian Ocean socialist]]" and "socialist [[pan-Africanist]]",<ref>{{cite book |last=Hoare |first=Mike |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZppyAAAAMAAJ |title=The Seychelles Affair |date=1986 |publisher=Bantam Press |isbn=978-0-593-01122-5 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZppyAAAAMAAJ&q=%22an+Indian+Ocean+socialist%22 4] |language=en}}</ref> generally oriented towards Tanzanian president [[Julius Nyerere]] and his [[African socialism]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Shayo |first=Rose |title=Nyerere's Tanzania and its Legacies |url=https://carleton.ca/africanstudies/wp-content/uploads/Shayo-nyerere-legacy.pdf |access-date=21 September 2025 |publisher=Carleton University}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Mayer |first=Adam |date=3 April 2025 |title=Resurgent Africa: A Socialist Past, a Multipolar Present: Introduction |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/21598282.2025.2511108 |journal=International Critical Thought |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=153–166 |doi=10.1080/21598282.2025.2511108 |issn=2159-8282|url-access=subscription }}</ref>|group=nb}} | leader = [[Patrick Herminie]] | chairman = | president = | secretary_general = | leader2_title = | leader2_name = | leader3_title = | slogan = | founder = [[France-Albert René]] | foundation = {{start date|1964|6|2|df=y}} | womens_wing = [[United Seychelles Women's League]] | headquarters = | national = | colours = {{color box|{{party color|United Seychelles}}|border=darkgray}} [[Red]] | newspaper = The People | seats1_title = [[National Assembly of Seychelles|National Assembly]] | seats1 = {{Composition bar|19|34|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}|per=1}} | website = {{URL|http://unitedseychelles.net/}} | country = Seychelles }} {{Politics of Seychelles}} [[File:Flag of SPUP.svg|thumb|Old party flag]] '''United Seychelles''' is a political party in [[Seychelles]]. It publishes a newspaper called ''The People''. It was known as the '''Seychelles People's Progressive Front''' ({{langx|fr|Front Progressiste du Peuple Seychellois}}, [[Seychellois Creole]]: {{Lang|crs|Fron Progresis Pep Sesel}}) from 1978/9 to June 2009, when it changed its name to the '''People's Party''' ([[Seychellois Creole]]: {{Lang|crs|Parti Lepep}}, '''PL''').<ref>[http://africanelections.tripod.com/sc.html Elections in Seychelles] – African Elections Database</ref> The party changed its name again in November 2018, from the People's Party to United Seychelles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/10105/Parti+Lepep%2C+seeking+platform+of+unity%2C+changes+name+to+United+Seychelles|title=Parti Lepep, seeking platform of unity, changes name to United Seychelles|website=seychellesnewsagency.com|access-date=25 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-26/seychelles-ruling-party-changes-name-ahead-of-2020-elections|title=Seychelles Ruling Party Changes Name Ahead of 2020 Elections|date=26 November 2018|access-date=25 October 2020|via=bloomberg.com}}</ref>

The party was founded in 1964 by [[France-Albert René]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eturbonews.com/40572/carrying-legacy-nelson-mandela|title=Carrying on the legacy of Nelson Mandela|date=10 December 2013|access-date=22 December 2013|publisher=eTurboNews}}</ref> under the name '''Seychelles People's United Party''', and it was led by him from its inception. The party was the ruling party from 1977 to 2020 and was the sole legal party in the country from 1979 to 1991 (this period is referred to retrospectively as the "Second Republic"). The party is led by a Central Executive Committee.

Leading members of the party over the years have been René, [[James Michel]] (formerly the chief of staff of the armed forces, information minister, finance minister and vice-president from 1996 to 2004; he was the [[President of Seychelles]] from 2004 to 2016), [[Guy Sinon]], [[Jacques Hodoul]] (a former foreign minister who was regarded as the party's chief ideologue), [[Joseph Belmont]] (former Vice-president of Seychelles), and Maxime Ferrari (a former René loyalist who later supported the opposition and wrote an autobiography).

Former Vice-president of Seychelles [[Vincent Meriton]] has been the leader of the party since June 2017 (party president). He is the third president of the party since its creation in 1964. Meriton was preceded by former President of Seychelles James Michel.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bonnelame|first=Betymie|date=5 June 2017|title=Meriton is new leader of Seychelles' Parti Lepep|url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/7369/Meriton+is+new+leader+of+Seychelles'+Parti+Lepep|agency=Seychelles News Agency}}</ref>

The party maintains branches in each electoral district and uses an extensive system of patronage. At the [[Seychellois parliamentary election, 2011|parliamentary election in 2011]], the party won 88.56% of the popular vote and all 31 seats in the [[National Assembly of Seychelles|National Assembly]]. That fell to 49.22% and 14 seats in the national assembly after the [[Seychellois parliamentary election, 2016|parliamentary election in 2016]], leaving the party in parliamentary opposition for the first time. From 1993 (when opposition parties were legalised) to 2011, candidates from the party won all the presidential elections in the first round,<ref name="sna">{{cite news|url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/3891/Presidential+elections+in+Seychelles+rescheduled+for+December+rd+to+th|title=Presidential elections in Seychelles rescheduled for December 3rd to 5th|date=13 October 2015|agency=[[Seychelles News Agency]]|access-date=3 November 2015}}</ref> while in 2016 they won in the second round, and in 2020 they lost for the first time. The party also held a majority in the National Assembly independence until 2016. Seychelles opposition candidate [[Wavel Ramkalawan]] won in the [[2020 Seychellois general election]] with 54.9 per cent of valid votes cast, upsetting incumbent President [[Danny Faure]] of United Seychelles. The party lost its first presidential poll in over 40 years since Seychelles gained independence. United Seychellois lost also in the General Assembly elections and [[Linyon Demokratik Seselwa]] (LDS) held its clear majority in the parliament.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/25/seychelles-opposition-candidate-wins-presidential-election|title = Seychelles opposition candidate wins presidential election}}</ref>

After [[Vincent Meriton]] stepped down as party leader,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Athanase|first=Patsy|date=16 December 2020|title=2 candidates vying to lead United Seychelles at next month's vote|url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/14036/+candidates+vying+to+lead+United+Seychelles+at+next+month%27s+vote|access-date=2022-01-22|website=seychellesnewsagency.com}}</ref> [[Patrick Herminie]] was elected as the new leader in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Karapetyan|first=Salifa|date=1 February 2021|title=United Seychelles' newly elected leader criticises government's new direction |url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/14281/United+Seychelles%27+newly+elected+leader+criticises+government%27s+new+direction|access-date=2022-01-22|website=Seychelles News Agency}}</ref> In October 2023, Herminie was charged by the Seychellois public prosecutor with [[witchcraft]]. He denied the charges and described them as politically motivated.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 October 2023 |title=Seychelles opposition leader Patrick Herminie charged with witchcraft |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-66992504 |access-date=2023-10-03}}</ref> In February 2024, the witchcraft accusations were lifted by the Victoria public prosecutor's office.<ref name="voaafrique">{{Cite news |date=16 February 2024 |title=SEYCHELLES Abandon des charges contre l'opposant seychellois, accusé de "sorcellerie" |url=https://www.voaafrique.com/a/seychelles-abandon-des-charges-contre-le-principal-opposant-accus%C3%A9-de-sorcellerie-/7489033.html |access-date=2024-02-17 |work=Voa Afrique |language=fr-FR}}</ref> In October 2025, [[2025 Seychellois general election|presidential runoff]] was won by Patrick Herminie, meaning United Seychelles (US) returned to power.<ref>{{cite news |title=Seychelles presidential election: Opposition leader Patrick Herminie defeats Wavel Ramkalawan |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy7p72rj2geo |work=www.bbc.com |date=12 October 2025}}</ref> United Seychelles won 15 out of 26 seats in the parliament.<ref>{{cite news |title=TRT Afrika - Seychelles opposition candidate wins presidential runoff, incumbent leader concedes defeat |url=https://www.trtafrika.com/english/article/2f7bc8c20dfa |work=www.trtafrika.com |language=en}}</ref> On 26 October 2025, Patrick Herminie was sworn in as Seychelles’ sixth president.<ref name="reuters.com">{{cite news |title=Patrick Herminie sworn in as Seychelles sixth president |url=https://www.reuters.com/video/watch/idRW693627102025RP1/ |access-date=27 October 2025}}</ref>

== Election results ==

=== Presidential elections === {| class=wikitable style=text-align:center !rowspan=2|Election !rowspan=2|Party candidate !Votes !% !Votes !% !rowspan=2|Result |- !colspan=2|First round !colspan=2|Second round |- ![[1979 Seychellois general election|1979]] |rowspan=6|[[France-Albert René]] |26,390 |98% |– |– |'''Elected''' {{Y}} |- ![[1984 Seychellois presidential election|1984]] |32,883 |92.6% |– |– |'''Elected''' {{Y}} |- ![[1989 Seychellois presidential election|1989]] |37,703 |96.1% |– |– |'''Elected''' {{Y}} |- ![[1993 Seychellois general election|1993]] |25,627 |59.5% |– |– |'''Elected''' {{Y}} |- ![[1998 Seychellois general election|1998]] |31,048 |66.7% |– |– |'''Elected''' {{Y}} |- ![[2001 Seychellois presidential election|2001]] |27,223 |54.2% |– |– |'''Elected''' {{Y}} |- ![[2006 Seychellois presidential election|2006]] |rowspan=3|[[James Michel]] |30,119 |53.73% |– |– |'''Elected''' {{Y}} |- ![[2011 Seychellois presidential election|2011]] |31,966 |55.46% |– |– |'''Elected''' {{Y}} |- ![[2015 Seychellois presidential election|2015]] |28,911 |47.76% |31,512 |50.15% |'''Elected''' {{Y}} |- ![[2020 Seychellois general election|2020]] |[[Danny Faure]] |28,178 |43.51% |– |– |'''Lost''' {{Nay}} |- ![[2025 Seychellois general election|2025]] |[[Patrick Herminie]] |30,736 |48.83% |34,389 |52.73% |'''Elected''' {{Y}} |}

=== National Assembly elections === {| class=wikitable style=text-align:center !Election !Party leader !Votes !% !Seats !+/– !Position !Result |- ![[1967 Seychellois parliamentary election|1967]] |rowspan=10|[[France-Albert René]] |8,621 |48.2% | {{Composition bar|3|8|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{increase}} 3 |{{increase}} 2nd |{{no2|Opposition}} |- ![[1970 Seychellois parliamentary election|1970]] |15,834 |44.1% |{{Composition bar|5|15|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{increase}} 2 |{{steady}} 2nd |{{no2|Opposition}} |- ![[1974 Seychellois parliamentary election|1974]] |19,920 |47.63% |{{Composition bar|2|15|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{decrease}} 3 |{{steady}} 2nd |{{no2|Opposition}} |- ![[1979 Seychellois general election|1979]] | |98% |{{Composition bar|23|25|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{increase}} 21 |{{increase}} 1st |{{yes2|Sole legal party}} |- ![[1983 Seychellois parliamentary election|1983]] |20,705 |100% | {{Composition bar|23|25|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{steady}} |{{steady}} 1st |{{yes2|Sole legal party}} |- ![[1987 Seychellois parliamentary election|1987]] |28,410 |100% | {{Composition bar|23|25|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{steady}} |{{steady}} 1st |{{yes2|Sole legal party}} |- ![[1992 Seychellois constitutional commission election|1992]] |24,538 |58.4% | {{Composition bar|14|22|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{decrease}} 9 |{{steady}} 1st |{{yes2|Majority government}} |- ![[1993 Seychellois general election|1993]] |24,462 |56.6% | {{Composition bar|27|33|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{increase}} 13 |{{steady}} 1st |{{yes2|Supermajority government}} |- ![[1998 Seychellois general election|1998]] |28,610 |61.7% | {{Composition bar|30|34|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{increase}} 3 |{{steady}} 1st |{{yes2|Supermajority government}} |- ![[2002 Seychellois parliamentary election|2002]] |28,075 |54.27% |{{Composition bar|23|34|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{decrease}} 7 |{{steady}} 1st |{{yes2|Supermajority government}} |- ![[2007 Seychellois parliamentary election|2007]] |rowspan=3|[[James Michel]] |30,571 |56.76% |{{Composition bar|23|34|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{steady}} |{{steady}} 1st |{{yes2|Supermajority government}} |- ![[2011 Seychellois parliamentary election|2011]] |31,123 |88.56% |{{Composition bar|33|34|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{increase}} 10 |{{steady}} 1st |{{yes2|Supermajority government}} |- ![[2016 Seychellois parliamentary election|2016]] |30,218 |49.22% |{{Composition bar|14|33|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{decrease}} 19 |{{decrease}} 2nd |{{yes2|Minority government}} |- ![[2020 Seychellois general election|2020]] |[[Vincent Meriton]] |27,185 |42.35% |{{Composition bar|10|35|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{decrease}} 4 |{{steady}} 2nd |{{no2|Opposition}} |- ![[2025 Seychellois general election|2025]] |[[Patrick Herminie]] |30,880 |49.14% |{{Composition bar|19|34|hex={{party color|United Seychelles}}}} |{{increase}} 9 |{{increase}} 1st |{{yes2|Majority government}} |}

== Former logos == {{Gallery | title = | align = center | Logo of SPUP.svg | alt1 = Logo of the Seychelles People's United Party (SPUP) from 1964 to 1991 | Logo of the SPUP from 1964 until 1991. | Logo of PP Seychelles.svg | alt2 = Logo of the People's Party (Parti Lepep) | Logo of the People's Party (Parti Lepep) }}

== Notable people == {{Category see also|United Seychelles Party politicians}}

* [[Joevana Charles]] * [[Ansley Constance]] * [[Charles DeCommarmond]] * [[Ginette Gamatis]] * [[Wilby Lucas]] * [[Marc Naiken]] * [[Roy Nibourette]] * [[David Payet]] * [[Marie-Antoinette Rose]] * [[Vicky Theresine]] * [[Jennifer Vel]] * [[Marc Volcere]]

==Notes== {{Reflist|group=nb}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://weareunitedseychelles.com/ United Seychelles] * [http://people.partilepep.com/ Website of ''The People'' newspaper] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005211203/http://people.partilepep.com/ |date=5 October 2011 }}

{{Seychellois political parties}} {{Authority control}}

[[Category:Political parties in Seychelles]] [[Category:Parties of one-party systems]] [[Category:Formerly ruling communist parties]] [[Category:Political parties established in 1964]] [[Category:1964 establishments in Africa]] [[Category:Socialism in Seychelles]] [[Category:United Seychelles Party politicians| ]]