Alexia Amesbury (born , née Jumeau) is a Seychellois
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...
and a
lawyer
A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...
by profession. Under the umbrella of the Seychelles Party for Social Justice and Democracy, she contested in the
2015 presidential election to become the first woman to contest a Seychellois presidential election.
Early life
Amesbury was born at
Praslin
Praslin () is the second largest island (38.5 km2) of the Inner Seychelles, lying northeast of Mahé in the Somali Sea. Praslin has a population of around 7,533 people and comprises two administrative districts: Baie Sainte Anne and Gra ...
,
Mahé, Seychelles and grew up in the St. Elizabeth’s Convent in Seychelles until she moved to
Kenya
)
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, capital = Nairobi
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in 1961 where she completed her O' and A'levels.
Education
At the age of 37, she matriculated at a University in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
to study
Law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
before proceeding to the
where a master's degree in International Law.
Career
In 2015, she became the first woman to contest in a Seychellois presidential election after she represented the Seychelles Party for Social Justice and Democracy during the
2015 presidential election.
She received a total of 803 votes in the first round.
While Amesbury did not advance to the second round of voting, she supported
Wavel Ramkalawan
Wavel Ramkalawan (born 15 March 1959) is a Seychellois politician and Anglican priest who has been serving as the president of Seychelles since 26 October 2020. Ramkalawan was an opposition MP from 1993 to 2011 and 2016 to 2020. He also served as ...
in the run-off election.
Controversy
After
James Michel
James Alix Michel, GCSK (born August 16, 1944) is a Seychellois politician and the former President of Seychelles from year 2004 to 2016. He previously served as Vice-President under his predecessor, France-Albert René, from 1996 to 2004.
Mi ...
won the 2015 election, Amesbury believed that the results were invalid based on Seychelles's Constitution. Amesbury explained that according to the Constitution of Seychelles, the fifth section of Schedule 3 states that a candidate in Seychelles cannot be elected president unless they receive more than half of the votes during the election.
Personal life
In 1972, she married an Englishman with whom she had six children. The couple divorced in 1998.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amesbury, Alexia
1951 births
Living people
People from Praslin
Seychellois women in politics
Seychellois women lawyers
Alumni of the London School of Economics
Seychellois women activists
Seychellois women's rights activists
21st-century women politicians