Singapore Votes May 3 In First Big Test For Pm Lawrence Wong

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The PAP is almost certain to win most seats, as it has in every vote since independence in 1965, although its share of the popular vote will be closely watched after one of its worst electoral performances in the last contest in 2020. — Reuters file picSINGAPORE, April 15 — Singapore will hold its 14th general election on May 3, following the dissolution of Parliament by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam today.
Nomination Day is set for April 23, with campaigning to run until May 1, ahead of a Cooling-off Day on May 2.
This election marks a historic milestone as it will be the first under Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Singapore’s fourth-generation (4G) leadership.
Wong, who succeeded Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong as secretary-general of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) in December 2024, was sworn in as prime minister last May.
A total of 97 parliamentary seats are up for grabs across 33 constituencies — 18 Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) and 15 Single Member Constituencies (SMCs).
In the last election held in 2020, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the PAP won 61.24 per cent of the vote and secured 83 out of 93 seats.
The Workers’ Party (WP) expanded its foothold by taking a second GRC, with party chief Pritam Singh formally named Leader of the Opposition.
This time, up to 11 parties, including two Opposition alliances, are expected to contest, continuing a trend since 2015 where all seats have been contested.
The 14th Parliament, which began on August 24, 2020, ended after nearly four years and eight months — making it the second longest in Singapore’s history.
It also wrapped up with a record number of vacant seats following the exit of six Members of Parliament for various reasons.
Despite the dissolution, Cabinet ministers will remain in office and continue their responsibilities until the next Parliament convenes.
Signals of an upcoming election had been growing stronger in recent months.
A key trigger came with the formation of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee on January 22.
The committee released its report in March, revealing several changes to the electoral map, although five GRCs and four SMCs remain unchanged. - malaymail

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