Singapore’s long-ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) is set for another landslide election victory, says the country’s Election Department.
In a sample vote on Saturday, the PAP showed strong leads in 82 seats out of 93 seats, having already won 5 earlier in the day. The count also showed the opposition Workers Party maintaining 10 seats.
The result would bolster the leadership of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his first electoral test since taking office a year ago.
Supporters of the PAP, which had ruled Singapore since 1959, gathered at a stadium waving flags and cheering in an early celebration.
The 52-year-old Lawrence Wong succeeded Lee Hsien Loong to become the city-state’s fourth leader. Lee stepped down in May 2024 after two decades as prime minister but remained in the cabinet as senior minister. Lee’s retirement ends a family dynasty that was started by his father, Lee Kuan Yew, who was Singapore’s first leader and built the former colonial backwater into one of the world’s richest countries.
Wong, a US-trained economist who is also finance minister, has a resounding mandate to guide trade-reliant Singapore through the economic uncertainty brought about by US President Donald Trump’s tariff hikes.
The US administration’s announcement on tariffs has led the Singaporean government to lowering its trade forecast and warning of a possible recession.
PAP maintains its hold on power
The PAP is seen as a beacon of stability and prosperity, but tight government control and the rising cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities also has led to growing unhappiness, especially among younger voters. Widening income disparity, increasingly unaffordable housing, overcrowding and restrictions on free speech have relatively weakened its previously ironclad support.
Its share of the popular vote slipped to a near-record low of 61% in the 2020 elections, down from nearly 70% in 2015. The oppositon says that a greater presence in parliament would allow for a more balanced political system and greater accountability, but has often been hamstrung by a lack of resources and fragmented support.
Wong has sought to revive support for the PAP by bringing in 32 new faces as several veterans of the party withdrew. He has attempted to engage younger voters through social media, and promised to strive for a more balanced and inclusive Singapore.
