Voting began on Thursday in Seychelles' election, where incumbent President Wavel Ramkalawan and allied lawmakers are looking to block a comeback by the party that dominated politics for four decades.

Africa's wealthiest country per capita is an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean whose location makes it a target for investment from, and security cooperation with, China, Gulf nations and India.

Ramkalawan, a former Anglican priest, steered the tourism-dependent economy through a post-pandemic recovery, and says he wants a second five-year term to build social protections and infrastructure while defending the country's neutrality to draw investment.

His main rival, Patrick Herminie of the United Seychelles party that governed from 1977 to 2020, says the population of 120,000 suffers from problems such as soaring living costs, declining standards in schools, graft and drug abuse.

VOTE FOR CHANGE?

Over three days, about 73,000 voters will choose from eight presidential candidates and 125 challengers for the 35-seat National Assembly, where Ramkalawan hopes to maintain a majority for his Linyon Demokratik Seselwa coalition.

Voting began in the outlying islands and for some essential workers on Thursday, with polling stations on the three main islands opening on Saturday. Results are due on Sunday.

Scores of essential workers queued to vote at the English River voting station in Victoria, the capital.

"I came to vote to remove the president," said Alberte, a police officer who declined to give his surname. "I did not like the things he did for the past five years, so I voted for a change."

Bus driver Gary Cado said he was happy with the government and wanted it to stay.

ECONOMIC REBOUND

Long one of Africa's top economic performers thanks to tourism earnings and governance reforms, Seychelles has bounced back strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year it was removed from the EU's tax blacklist.

Inflation is less than 2% and public debt on course to drop below the government's target of 50% of gross domestic product before 2030, the International Monetary Fund says.

"We've embarked on an ambitious programme of taking care of our people," Ramkalawan told Reuters in an interview, pointing to an increased minimum wage, infrastructure projects and free school meals.

He hopes to build a new hospital and airport and a modern port, while relying on neutrality to maximise investment.

"We say keep your geopolitics to yourselves," Ramakalawan added. "A French warship, an American, British, Chinese, or Indian vessel, all are welcome. If India and China have problems, those are not ours."

WITCHCRAFT ACCUSATIONS

Herminie, a doctor and former National Assembly speaker, has overcome unusual legal challenges, such as his 2023 arrest for trying to stage a coup with the help of witchcraft. He denied the charges, which were later dropped.

Herminie says the government has presided over spreading corruption, citing the lease of two islands to companies from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

He told Reuters his party had learned from its 43 years in power, when it faced corruption accusations of its own.

"The party had been in power too long, empires were built inside, and divisions weakened us," he said.

"We remain a progressive, left-of-centre party, convinced that people should be at the centre of development."

Other presidential candidates include gospel singer Robert Moumou, entrepreneur Marco Francis, and former tourism minister Alain St Ange.