The movement that became the Seychelles National Party started in the opposition to the one-party dictatorship established after the coup d’etat of 1977 which overthrew the legitimate elected Government of the country.

During the years 1977 to 1990, Seychelles lived though the darkest period in its history, when fear and repression shadowed the lives of our people. The movement was the real struggle for the Liberation of Seychelles.

Although opposition to the regime existed throughout the history of the one-party state, it became a co-ordinated movement only after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989 and the call for democracy which spread across Africa and the Third World.

In Seychelles, a decisive moment for the movement came in 1990, when Wavel Ramkalawan , an Anglican priest, preached a landmark sermon in which he questioned the practices of the regime and gave voice to the desire for greater freedom, respect for human rights and observance of the rule of law in the country.

This sermon was an inspiration for the movement for political liberty and democracy in Seychelles and drew Ramkalawan into a closer involvement with politics. In 1991 he joined other dissidents to form the Parti Seselwa, initially as an underground organization, and became its leader.

At the same time, other dissident groups based overseas but with contacts and sympathizers in Seychelles became more active, and a wider campaign of opposition to the one-party state took shape.

Under the pressure from the growing Seychellois opposition and the international community, the regime declared its intention to return Seychelles to the multi-party system in 1991. Eleven political parties registered to take part of the political process. They included the two parties which had existed before the coup d’etat, the Seychelles People’s Progressive Front (SPPF) led by Albert René who had ruled Seychelles during the one-party era, and the Democratic Party (DP) of James Mancham who had been ousted in the coup d’etat. Among the new parties were the three which later become the Seychelles National Party. These were the Parti Seselwa (PS) with Wavel Ramkalawan as leader, the Seychelles National Movement (SNM) led by Gabriel Hoareau and the National Alliance Party (NAP) led by Phillipe Boullé.

All these parties contested the first multi-party election of the new era in 1992, to choose representatives for a Commission to draft a new constitution for the nation. The elections were dominated by SPPF and the DP. The Parti Seselwa came third, with just under the 5% necessary to get a seat.

For the first multi-party general elections in 1993, the Parti Seselwa joined forces with the SNM and the NAP to form the United Opposition (UO), to which Annette Georges was elected as leader while the respective leaders of the member parties retained their roles at the head of their parties. The UO polled 9% nationally and the result enabled enabled it to get one seat in the new National Assembly on the proportional basis and Wavel Ramkalawan was chosen to fill the seat.

The presence of Wavel Ramkalawan in the National Assembly and the publication of Regar newspaper, the UO became a national political force. In the 1998 general elections, it increased its share of votes to 27%, and Wavel Ramkalawan won in the electoral district of St Louis. The UO become the second largest party in the country and the main Opposition in the National Assembly with four seats. Wavel Ramkalawan was elected as Leader of the Opposition.

After these elections, the UO adopted the name of Seychelles National Party (SNP). It made further progress in the 2001 Presidential election, when its candidate, Wavel Ramkalawan, won 46% of the national vote. As Mr. Ramkalawan’s nominee for Vice-President, Mrs. Annette Georges was the first woman to contest national office at that level.

The SNP maintained this score in the 2002 legislative elections, winning seven seats directly and another four on the proportional basis. These results were repeated in the 2006 Presidential election and the 2007 legislative elections.

The SNP has been a loyal but vigourous opposition. It has been clear and direct in its criticism but has always contributed ideas for a better Seychelles. It has championed the cause of democracy, the rule of law, accountability, good governance and economic reforms in the National Assembly and in publications.. The SNP has maintained a high profile through political actions such as public meetings, rallies and marches.

To date, the SNP remains the main opposition party and the only one with representatives in the National Assembly. On the basis of its strong performance and its clear and consistent policies, it is poised to win the Presidential election due in 2011 and the legislative elections in 2012.