Pres ident ▁under ▁his ▁prede cess or , ▁France - Al bert ▁René , ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁Michel ▁was ▁initially ▁a ▁teacher , ▁but ▁later ▁he ▁became ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁arch ip el ago ' s ▁bo oming ▁tour ism ▁industry ▁and ▁joined ▁René ' s ▁political ▁party ▁before ▁independence ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁career ▁Michel ▁followed ▁President ▁René ▁through ▁different ▁political ▁posts ▁during ▁all ▁periods ▁of ▁the ▁Se ych elles ' ▁history ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁entity . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Executive ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Se ych elles ▁People ' s ▁United ▁Party ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 7 ; ▁subsequently , ▁when ▁the ▁party ▁was ▁transformed ▁into ▁the ▁Se ych elles ▁People ' s ▁Progress ive ▁Front ▁( SP PF ), ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁its ▁Central ▁Executive ▁Committee . ▁René ▁st aged ▁a ▁coup ▁against ▁the ▁country ' s ▁first ▁President , ▁James ▁Man ch am , ▁only ▁one ▁year ▁after ▁independence , ▁and ▁Michel ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Public ▁Administration ▁and ▁Information ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 7 – 1 9 9 3 ▁one - party ▁social ist ▁rule , ▁Michel ▁held ▁various ▁r uling ▁party ▁and ▁minister ial ▁port fol ios . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁SP PF ' s ▁Deput y ▁Secretary - General , ▁and ▁in