Country in the Indian Ocean, off east Africa, north of Madagascar. Government Seychelles is a republic within the Commonwealth with a multiparty presidential political system. The 1993 constitution provides for a president, who is directly elected to serve a five-year term and is limited to a maximum of three successive terms. To be elected, a candidate needs to win over 50% of the vote, with a run-off being held between the two leading candidates if this is not achieved in the first round. The president is head of both state and government and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. There is a single-chamber national assembly of up to 34 members, with 25 members elected by direct universal suffrage in single-seat constituencies and up to nine by proportional representation. It serves a five-year term. History The islands were first sighted by the Portuguese seafarer Vasco de Gama in 1500. They became a French colony in the mid 18th century and were named after King Louis XV's finance…