Singapore Votes in Crucial Test for New Prime Minister and Longstanding Ruling Party

 Singapore — Singaporeans headed to the polls on Saturday in a general election widely expected to reinforce the decades-long dominance of the People’s Action Party (PAP), while offering a first nationwide referendum on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s leadership amid mounting economic uncertainty.

The vote serves as both a political barometer for the PAP — which has governed the city-state since before its independence in 1965 — and a test of public appetite for alternative voices as economic headwinds intensify and younger voters call for greater political plurality.

Though the PAP has historically swept parliamentary elections, often securing over 90% of seats, its share of the popular vote has come under increased scrutiny in recent cycles. In 2020, the party recorded one of its weakest performances with just 60.1% of the popular vote, prompting questions about the durability of its political mandate. Prime Minister Wong, 52, is aiming to exceed that benchmark in his first electoral outing as head of government.

Wong assumed office last year, becoming Singapore’s fourth prime minister and the successor to Lee Hsien Loong, who led the country for two decades. Wong has pledged continuity alongside generational renewal, while seeking to establish his own leadership identity within the PAP’s framework of technocratic governance.

Saturday’s election opened under grey skies and heavy rain, but turnout remained robust. By midday, nearly half of Singapore’s eligible voters had cast their ballots across 1,240 polling stations located in community centres, schools, and neighbourhood venues. Voting, which is compulsory in Singapore, will conclude at 8 p.m. local time, with results expected in the early hours of Sunday.

Wong himself voted in the early afternoon near the Botanic Gardens, declining to make any public statement at the polling station.

Economic concerns remain central to voter sentiment. Singapore’s status as one of the world’s most expensive cities — coupled with rising living costs and housing pressures — has placed the government under growing scrutiny. The trade-dependent economy also faces external threats, particularly from the escalating global trade tensions triggered by U.S. tariffs, which Singapore officials warn could push the country into recession.

A Tilted Playing Field

Despite calls for political diversity, the electoral contest remains heavily skewed in the PAP’s favour. The ruling party is contesting all 97 parliamentary seats, fielding 46% of the total candidates, and benefiting from significant institutional and financial advantages. By contrast, its principal opponent, the Workers’ Party, is contesting just 26 seats, though it made history in 2020 by securing 10 — the highest-ever tally for an opposition party in Singapore.

Analysts say that while a PAP defeat remains improbable, incremental gains by opposition parties could reshape the political landscape over time, particularly as younger voters seek stronger checks and balances in governance.

“It is to be expected that the PAP’s overall electoral support will gradually dip from election to election,” said Lam Peng Er, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore. “Would Singaporeans be surprised if the vote share dipped to 57% or 58%? Probably not — and neither would the PAP.”

In recent days, the ruling party has issued pointed reminders to voters about the stakes of the election, warning that losses for senior cabinet figures could undermine Singapore’s ability to navigate complex geopolitical dynamics, particularly in managing relations between the United States and China.

As Singapore awaits the outcome, this election may ultimately offer more insight into the future tone of its politics than the outcome itself — signalling whether public sentiment is shifting in a nation long defined by political stability and economic discipline.