On Wednesday, August 13, 2025, it has now become part of Seychellois political history. Wavel Ramkalawan held his final official press conference as President of the Republic of Seychelles within the grounds of State House. A solemn farewell in which the head of state, true to form, turned the exercise into a scene of self-justification and political nostalgia.
From the very beginning, the tone was set. After a simple “Good morning,” the president launched into a lengthy explanation about the role of the head of state, mainly seeking to defend the constitutional amendment he pushed through to allow for a one-month transition period in the event of an electoral defeat. “I am not here to play politics, but if you ask me political questions, I will answer politically,” he declared, making it clear that politics was exactly what he wanted to discuss.
Challenged on the issue of unequal media airtime for presidential candidates, Ramkalawan immediately went on the defensive, comparing today’s criticisms to those he made while in opposition. He even accused his predecessor, Danny Faure, of having used the State House as a campaign studio in 2020. But now, he argued, such criticisms were no longer relevant since he was speaking as president, not as a candidate. “We must distinguish between abuse and the honest use of state resources,” he justified.
The conference took a tense turn when SBC journalist Rassin Vannier asked him about rising unemployment among people under 25. The president brushed off the concern: “This is a global situation, normal among young people who don’t always know what they want.” Visibly irritated, he then demanded that the journalist provide the names of those unemployed youths, live on air. An awkward scene followed, with the visibly uncomfortable reporter nodding in silence. Ramkalawan promised to “personally contact” these young people to “give them an opening,” insisting that behind the statistics there were “many hidden truths.”
The most direct question came from Denise Dufresne (Today in Seychelles): had he kept his campaign promises? The president, clearly delighted, exclaimed: “Denise, your question is political!” before turning to criticise the level of debate in the National Assembly, dominated by his own LDS party, where “discussions amount to little more than arguing with the Speaker.” He also defended the high salaries of political leaders: “Why doesn’t everyone run for office? Because people are not ready to be insulted and to expose their families.” On foreign relations, Ramkalawan listed an assortment of countries: Austria, the Vatican, China, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar… mostly “summit meetings.” India, he said, still awaited his official visit, delayed by their elections. But nothing was mentioned about regional or continental relations, nor any significant initiative for the Seychellois economy. The UAE, it seemed, remained his favourite stop.
The conference concluded with the revelation that the proposed presidential residence within the State House remains “on the table.” A clear signal that he already envisions himself in a second mandate despite presenting a record that he proudly defends, but that many view as catastrophic.
