Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong of the Individuals’s Motion Occasion (PAP) waves to supporters as he celebrates on the social gathering’s gathering middle through the normal election outcomes, in Singapore on Could 3, 2025.
Roslan Rahman | Afp | Getty Pictures
Singapore’s ruling Individuals’s Motion Occasion returned to energy in a landslide victory, handing the city-state’s governance as soon as once more to Lawrence Wong as prime minister at a time when commerce turmoil has rocked the globe.
The PAP bagged 87 seats in the 97-seat parliament, whereas the principle opposition Employees Occasion held on to its 10 seats within the nation’s 14th normal election that noticed a record-low turnout of 92.47%, in keeping with home media. Voting in Singapore is compulsory for residents above 21.
Votes had been forged for 92 seats, after the PAP gained 5 seats in a walkover on Nomination Day on April 23.
The ruling social gathering additionally elevated its vote share, garnering 65.57% of the nationwide vote in comparison with the 61.2% within the 2020 election.
This election was Wong’s first as prime minister, and was dominated by cost of living issues, jobs and economic growth, in keeping with native media outlet CNA.
Wong is the primary PAP chief to have improved the social gathering’s vote share in his first election.
The PAP’s vote share fell within the 1991 and 2006 elections, when Singapore noticed a change in prime minister in 1990 and 2004.
Wong, who can also be finance minister, took over from Lee Hsien Loong in Could 2024. Lee at the moment serves as Senior Minister in Wong’s cupboard.
The PAP has dominated Singapore since 1959, when the city-state underneath the British gained full self-government. Singapore turned unbiased in 1965.
Speaking after the election, Wong mentioned that he was “deeply humbled and grateful for the outcomes,” including that “Singaporeans have given the PAP a transparent and robust mandate to control.”
“The outcomes will put Singapore in a greater place to face this turbulent world. Many are watching the elections carefully, whether or not it is worldwide media, buyers or overseas governments, they may have taken notice of tonight’s outcomes. It is a clear sign of belief, stability and confidence in your authorities.”
Early Sunday morning, the U.S. State Division congratulated Wong on the PAP’s victory, saying it appears ahead to working carefully with the brand new authorities to strengthen financial progress and protection ties.
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen additionally said in a post on X that the EU valued its “glorious cooperation” with Singapore.
“Our partnership is deepening, in commerce and funding, and likewise defence, safety, innovation,” she added.
The election additionally comes as Singapore grapples with slowing financial progress and an unsure commerce scenario.
In April, Singapore had downgraded its GDP growth forecast to 0%-2%, with the nation’s financial authority easing coverage twice this yr.
First-quarter GDP for the nation got here in decrease than anticipated, at 3.8%.
Wong had warned earlier this yr that Singapore would possibly go right into a recession in 2025, and had formed a task force led by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong in April to assist companies and employees navigate the fast uncertainties arising from U.S. tariffs and associated international developments.
Gan held a name with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick final month. Singapore is looking for concessions for pharmaceutical exports to the U.S., whereas additionally working with Washington to strengthen export controls for high-end AI chips, Gan said following the assembly.
He additionally mentioned Lutnick conveyed that the ten% baseline tariff imposed by the Trump administration in early April was an “umbrella,” and not going topic to negotiation.
Singapore was hit with the ten% tariff, regardless of having a commerce deficit with the U.S. and a free trade agreement since 2004.
