SINGAPORE (AP) — Singaporeans were voting Saturday in a general election that is seen as the first key test of support for Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who took office last year.
His People’s Action Party is widely expected to comfortably extend its 66-year dominance in the city-state. But the election is being closely watched on whether the opposition can make further gains as people express unhappiness over tight government control and a high cost of living.
Wong, a U.S.-trained economist who is also finance minister, has appealed for a resounding mandate to steer trade-reliant Singapore through economic turbulence following U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff hikes. The government has lowered its trade forecast and warned of a possible recession.
“This election is couched as a test of the support for the leadership of PM Lawrence Wong but it also will reflect how politics in Singapore are changing, namely an embrace of alternative voices and a younger generation seeing the PAP” under a younger leader, Southeast Asia political expert Bridget Welsh said.
Wong, 52, succeeded Lee Hsien Loong, who stepped down a year ago after two decades at the helm. Lee remained in the Cabinet as a senior minister. But his retirement as premier ended a family dynasty started by his father, Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first leader, who built the former colonial backwater into one of the world’s richest nations during 31 years in office.
Voters trickled in to schools and other designated polling stations to cast their ballots amid a brief downpour. Polling in Singapore is compulsory, with nearly 2.76 million eligible voters. The PAP has secured five of the 97 parliamentary seats because they were unopposed. Voting ends at 8.p.m., with the outcome to be known in the early hours of Sunday.
The PAP is seen as a beacon of stability and prosperity, but Singapore’s reputation for 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 loosened the PAP’s grip on power.
The PAP’s share of the popular vote slipped to a near-record low of 61% in 2020 elections, down from nearly 70% in 2015. Although it kept 83 out of 93 parliamentary sets, the opposition gained grounds with a record 10 seats.
Eugene Tan, law professor with the Singapore Management University, said young voters — estimated to be about a quarter of the electorate — are more receptive to appeals for greater political diversity and competition in Singapore. Young people flocked to the Workers Party’s rallies during the nine-day campaign period.
The opposition says giving it a stronger presence in Parliament will allow a more balanced political system and greater accountability. But they face an uphill task, often hamstrung by a lack of resources and fragmented support. Critics said gerrymandering also gives the PAP an advantage. The biggest opposition contender, the Workers Party, is fielding only 26 seats with smaller parties contesting others.
Wong has sought to refresh the PAP, which fielded 32 new faces as several veterans bowed out. He has engaged younger voters through social media and promised to develop a more balanced and inclusive Singapore. With some of his ministers in close fights with the WP, Wong has warned more votes for the opposition would weaken the PAP team in navigating economic troubles ahead.
A further dip in the PAP’s popular support or ceding more seats to the opposition would be a blow for Wong.
“Expectations are to not reach below 60% popular vote. This is the threshold. If there are improvements, this will empower PM Wong and his broad changes within the PAP. If PM Wong does badly… there might be a challenge to his leadership,” Welsh said.
