•Patrick Herminie, on right, has promised to heal divisions after a tough election campaign

Seychelles’ main opposition leader Patrick Herminie has won presidential elections.

He defeated the incumbent Wavel Ramkalawan in a runoff vote, according to official results released by the electoral commission.

Herminie gained 52.7% of the vote, compared with Ramkalawan’s 47.3%.

In his victory speech, Herminie promised to lower the cost of living, revive public services, and unite the island nation, saying the result marked “a new chapter for all Seychellois”.

After losing his bid for a second term, Ramkalawan congratulated Herminie on his victory, saying he leaves “a legacy that makes many presidents blush”.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, called on the international community to support Nigeria’s candidate, Dr Taoheed Olufemi Elias, as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the election scheduled for November 12, 2025.

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, Tuggar noted that no ECOWAS member state has occupied a seat on the ICJ bench since 2011, underscoring the need for fair representation and greater West African participation in the world’s top judicial body.

Tuggar described Dr Elias as an “eminent jurist of integrity with vast experience in international law,” adding that his election would strengthen Africa’s voice in promoting global justice.

“This long absence underscores the importance of equitable geographical representation and the need for West African voices to be heard within the world’s highest judicial body,” Tuggar stated.

In his remarks, Dr Elias expressed confidence in his qualifications and pledged to serve with dedication, impartiality, and fairness if elected.

•Sebastien Lecornu, France’s prime minister, during the handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, France, on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025.Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

France’s new Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has resigned just weeks after his appointment, plunging the country into a fresh political crisis.

Lecornu, France’s fifth PM in less than two years, had his work cut out to convince the country — and investors — that he could unite a fractious and divided parliament enough to get a 2026 budget over the line.

With the prospect of a state budget being passed now in doubt, French markets reacted strongly to the news, with the yield on the 30-year government bond, or OAT, hitting a one-month high of 4.441% before retreating slightly.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year bond rose to a 10-day high of 3.5990%. Meanwhile, France’s CAC 40 index slumped 1.9% and the euro fell 0.7% against the dollar.

Lecornu was installed in early September against a backdrop of public unrest and dissatisfaction over the messy state of French affairs, after several successive governments failed to pass budgets detailing spending cuts and tax rises.

A former defense minister and longtime ally of French President Emmanuel Macron, Lecornu resigned just houses after naming a new cabinet on Sunday. The new cabinet, which saw most high-profile figures remain in their posts, was due to hold its first meeting on Monday.

Now, France has been plunged into a new political crisis which will put massive pressure on Macron, who has now installed three failed minority governments.