Bangkok, May 3 (EFE).— Singapore’s People’s Action Party (PAP), in power since the city-state’s independence in 1965, won Saturday’s general election, securing nearly 90 percent of parliamentary seats.
According to preliminary results published by the pro-government Straits Times, the PAP, led by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, won 87 of 97 seats in parliament, four more than in the 2020 election.
The opposition Workers’ Party maintained its previous result of 10 seats after surprising gains five years ago.
While the PAP’s victory was widely expected in the tightly controlled city-state, attention now turns to the party’s share of the popular vote, which has been in decline.
In 2020, the party received 61 percent of votes, down from 75 percent 15 years earlier.
Analysts suggest that dropping below 60 percent this year would be seen as a warning sign for the PAP and may prompt internal reflection after decades of dominance built on economic growth and political control.
The increase in seats followed a redrawing of electoral boundaries, which expanded parliament from 93 to 97 .
This election was seen as a referendum on Wong’s leadership.
The 52-year-old economist took over in May 2024 from Lee Hsien Loong, the son of Singapore’s founding father, Lee Kuan Yew.
For the first time, no member of the Lee family contested, a significant moment in Singapore’s political evolution.
Wong campaigned as a guarantor of stability amid global economic uncertainty, particularly the US–China trade war, and called early elections, well ahead of the November deadline, before its effects could deepen public discontent.
The Workers’ Party, while unable to expand its influence, remains the PAP’s most credible challenger.
It campaigned on issues such as the rising cost of living, aiming to tap into voter frustration in a system where political space for opposition remains limited. EFE
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