Singapore Sets May 3 as Date for General Election in First Test for New PM Lawrence Wong
Singapore will head to the polls on May 3, 2025, in what will be the country’s 14th general election since gaining independence. This election marks the debut leadership challenge for Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his fourth-generation team, following the retirement of long-standing leader Lee Hsien Loong.
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam officially dissolved parliament on Tuesday at the request of Prime Minister Wong, triggering the start of the electoral process. Candidate nominations are scheduled for April 23, followed by a nine-day campaign period and a legally mandated “cooling-off day” on May 2.
This vote will be pivotal as Wong seeks to solidify his leadership amidst increasing economic uncertainty, inflationary pressures, housing affordability issues, a shifting labor landscape, and the healthcare demands of an ageing population.
The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), in power since Singapore achieved self-governance in 1959, is widely anticipated to retain control. All four of Singapore’s prime ministers, including founding father Lee Kuan Yew and his son Lee Hsien Loong, have hailed from the PAP.
In the 2020 general election, the PAP secured 83 out of 93 seats, while the Workers’ Party clinched 10 — their strongest showing to date. This year, voters will cast their ballots for 97 parliamentary seats.
According to a recent YouGov poll, 63% of voters who have decided on their preference support the PAP, while 15% back the Workers’ Party. However, more than half of respondents (56%) remain undecided.
Ahead of the election, Wong introduced a populist national budget featuring cash rebates, subsidies, and targeted sectoral aid — widely seen as efforts to ease living costs and bolster public support.
Singapore’s economic outlook has been hit by global developments, including newly imposed U.S. tariffs. Wong criticized Washington’s 10% tax on Singaporean goods as a “significant shift” in global trade dynamics. The Singaporean government recently revised its 2025 GDP growth forecast downwards from 1–3% to 0–2%.
Though voting is mandatory for Singapore’s 2.75 million eligible citizens, the opposition continues to navigate systemic obstacles. The country’s Group Representation Constituency (GRC) system requires parties to field multiple candidates per district, often disadvantaging smaller parties with limited resources.
Candidates must also place a deposit of S$13,500 (approx. US$9,700), which is forfeited if they fail to secure at least 12.5% of the vote.
Campaign discussions are likely to revolve around rising living costs, social inequality, and immigration policy. Meanwhile, the PAP has had to weather recent political controversies, including a corruption investigation involving a cabinet minister and the resignation of two Members of Parliament over an extramarital affair.
Despite these challenges, the PAP remains one of the most dominant political parties globally, and this election will be a key indicator of whether that dominance continues in the post-Lee Hsien Loong era.
