1935- . Seychelles left-wing politician,
president from 1977 following a coup. In 1964
Rene founded the left-wing Seychelles
People's United Party, pressing for complete
independence. When this was achieved, in
1976, he became prime minister and James
Mancham, leader of the Seychelles Democratic
Party, became president. Rene seized the
presidency in 1977 and set up a one-party
state. He has since followed a non-nuclear
policy of nonalignment and has survived
several attempts to remove him.