Patrick Herminie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patrick Herminie
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Herminie in 2025
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| President-elect of Seychelles | |
| Assuming office 30 October 2025 |
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| Vice President | Sebastien Pillay (elect) |
| Succeeding | Wavel Ramkalawan |
| Speaker of the National Assembly of Seychelles | |
| In office 29 May 2007 – 27 September 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Francis MacGregor |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Pillay |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 September 1963 Baie St. Anne, Praslin, Seychelles |
| Political party | United Seychelles |
| Spouse | Veronique Herminie |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Leeds Charles University |
Patrick Herminie (born 22 September 1963) is a well-known politician from Seychelles. He is the President-elect of Seychelles, meaning he was chosen by the people to be their next leader. Before this, he served as the Speaker of the National Assembly of Seychelles from 2007 to 2016. He first became a member of the Assembly in 1993. From 1998 to 2003, he was the Leader of Government Business, helping to guide important decisions.
Patrick Herminie was the candidate for the United Seychelles (US) party in the 2025 Seychellois general election. He was elected president, winning against the previous president, Wavel Ramkalawan. After the parliamentary election in September 2016, Patrick Pillay became the new Speaker of the National Assembly, taking over from Patrick Herminie.
Contents
Patrick Herminie: A Leader for Seychelles
Early Life and Education
Growing Up in Seychelles
Patrick Herminie was born on 22 September 1963. His birthplace was Baie St. Anne Praslin Hospital, located on Praslin, which is the second-largest island in Seychelles. He was the fourth of five children in his family. His mother, Christa Herminie, was a homemaker, and his father, Louis Herminie, worked as a policeman.
A few years after Patrick was born, his family moved from Praslin back to Mahé, the main island of Seychelles. They settled there and raised their five children. His father continued his work as a policeman, and his mother cared for the family.
School Days and Studies
As a young boy, Herminie attended Seychelles College. This was an all-boys' school established in 1947. At that time, Seychelles College was a very important school for modern education in Seychelles. It closed in the early 1980s when the government made education free for everyone.
While at Seychelles College, Herminie was the captain of the Schalke 04 youth football team. He led his team in many competitions. After finishing his studies at Seychelles College, he went on to study medicine. He earned a Doctorate in General Medicine from Charles University in Prague, which was then in Czechoslovakia, graduating in 1990.
A Career in Medicine
Helping People as a Doctor
After returning to Seychelles in 1991, Patrick Herminie met Veronique Sinon, and they later married. They have two children: Venessa Herminie, who is now a medical doctor, and Martin Herminie, who is a civil engineer.
In 1990, after becoming a doctor, Herminie started working as a Medical Officer at Victoria Hospital. He was promoted to Senior Medical Officer in 1992. In 1995, he became the Director of the Environmental Health Section at the Ministry of Health. That same year, he received an award from the British government called the Chevening Award. This allowed him to complete a Master's degree in Public Health at the Nuffield Institute, University of Leeds, in England.
Advancing Public Health
When he returned to Seychelles, Herminie was appointed Director General of Disease Prevention and Control in the Ministry of Health in 1996. He always wanted to learn more and improve his skills. In 1997, he attended a special training course on controlling epidemics, organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The next year, in 1998, he became the Director General of the Division of Primary Health Care in the Ministry of Health.
From 2000 to 2003, Herminie continued to serve as the Director General of Primary Health Care at the Ministry of Health.
Stepping into Politics
Early Political Roles
In 2004, Patrick Herminie decided to focus on a full-time career in politics. His political journey began in 1992 when he was part of a group that helped write the Constitution for the Third Republic of Seychelles. In 1993, he was elected as a Member of the National Assembly for the English River Constituency. He was re-elected for this role in 1998 and 2002.
Here are some of the important political roles he held:
- 1998–2007: Leader of Government Business in the National Assembly (also known as the Majority Leader).
- 1998–2010: Member of the Central Committee of the Seychelles People's Progressive Front, which was the ruling party at the time.
- 2003: Re-elected as a Member of the National Assembly for the English River Constituency.
- 2007–2011 (October): Speaker of the 4th National Assembly of Seychelles.
- 2011–2016 (September): Speaker of the 5th National Assembly of Seychelles.
- 2015–2020: National Executive Committee Member for Parti Lepep / United Seychelles.
- On 31 January 2021, Dr. Patrick Herminie was elected Leader of the United Seychelles Party, which is a major political party.
Serving as Speaker
From 2007 to 2016, Patrick Herminie served as the Speaker of the National Assembly. This is a very important role, like being the referee in a debate, making sure everyone follows the rules and that discussions are fair.
Leading the United Seychelles Party
In 2016, his party lost the legislative election, and he temporarily stepped back from his role as Speaker. From 2016 to 2020, Herminie worked as the Secretary of State for Rehabilitation and Community Support. During this time, he helped set up an agency focused on helping people and improving community well-being.
International and Community Work
Commonwealth Leadership
In 2012, Herminie was chosen as the Chairperson of the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) for the Africa Region. He held this position until 2013.
Between 2015 and 2016, Herminie was also elected as a member of the Executive Committee of the SADC Parliamentary Forum. He also became the Chairperson of the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) at the international level.
During his time as Speaker and a member of the SADC Parliamentary Forum, Herminie worked hard to make the National Assembly better. He helped it meet international standards and made sure its staff could better support the new members of parliament.
Supporting Community Well-being
In 2017, President Danny Faure announced the creation of a new agency called the Agency for the Prevention of Rehabilitation and Community Support (APDAR). Patrick Herminie was chosen to lead its Board as chairperson, a position he held until 2020.
President-elect of Seychelles
Patrick Herminie ran for president of Seychelles in the 2025 Seychellois general election. He was elected, defeating the previous president, Wavel Ramkalawan, after a second round of voting. He is set to begin his term as President on 30 October 2025.
See also
In Spanish: Patrick Herminie para niños
