As global uncertainty mounts, Singapore’s voters turned to stability, giving the ruling party a landslide victory. The People’s Action Party secured 65.6% of the vote and an overwhelming majority in parliament.
A Flight to Safety: Why Singapore Voters Flocked to the Ruling Party
The recent election in Singapore has seen the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) win by a landslide, with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong leading the party to 65.6% of the vote and an overwhelming majority of the 97 seats in parliament.
The electoral system in Singapore is a parliamentary representative democratic framework.
The government is led by the Prime Minister, who is also the head of the ruling party.
General elections are held at least once every five years, with voters electing members to the 93-seat Parliament.
The People's Action Party (PAP) has dominated politics since independence in 1965, holding a significant majority of seats.
Eligible voters must be Singapore citizens aged 21 and above.
The Economy: A Source of Concern
Singaporeans went to the polls on Saturday with concerns about ‘inflation’ , wage stagnation, and job prospects dominating the election discourse. The government has attributed the surge in inflation to external factors such as the Ukraine and Gaza wars and supply chain disruptions. However, critics argue that a controversial goods and services tax hike exacerbated the issue.
With the US-China trade war under way and a 10% US tariff looming, authorities and experts have warned of shocks to the economy and possibly a technical recession. Against this backdrop, the PAP campaigned on a message of stability, promising to steer Singapore through the storm.
The US-China trade war began in 2018, sparked by concerns over China's intellectual property theft and unfair trade practices.
The conflict escalated into a full-blown trade war, with the US imposing tariffs on $360 billion worth of Chinese goods.
China retaliated with its own tariffs on $110 billion worth of US products.
The trade war has had significant economic consequences, including slowed global growth and increased uncertainty for businesses.
A Message that Resonated with Voters
The PAP’s campaign message resonated with many voters, particularly those who are risk-averse and want a party with experience running the government. One PAP supporter, a start-up owner, told the BBC that her business has been affected by the economic climate and that she wants a party with experience to address these issues.
The Opposition’s Performance
The centre-left Workers’ Party (WP) failed to capture more seats but continued to hold on to its 10 seats in parliament. Despite recent controversies involving a former WP MP and leader Pritam Singh, who were both found guilty of lying to parliament, the WP performed robustly, with increased vote shares in some constituencies.
The WP’s performance was partly due to a fragmented opposition, with 10 parties going up against them. With few exceptions, most parties performed poorly, making it difficult for the WP to make significant gains.
A Sign of Confidence in Wong
The PAP’s strong result is seen as a sign of confidence in Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who led Singapore’s Covid taskforce and became a familiar face during the pandemic. Wong’s leadership has been credited with giving him credence, and he projects that stability for future global financial uncertainties.
Lawrence Wong is a Singaporean politician who has served in various government positions.
Born on January 18, 1971, he was educated at the National University of Singapore and later earned his Master's degree from Harvard University.
Wong held several portfolios, including Minister for Finance and Member of Parliament for the Hong Kah GRC constituency.
He is known for his economic policies and contributions to Singapore's growth.
The ‘New PM’ Effect
The PAP’s strong result is also notable because it marks the first time a new prime minister has improved the party’s vote share in their first election. This contrasts with previous PMs who saw dips in the polls due to voter uncertainty about a new leader.
A Fragmented Opposition
Despite recent elections showing there was a desire for political diversity, the latest result ‘shows that people are happy with the number of opposition MPs’ for now, said Teo Kay Key, a research fellow at the think tank Institute of Policy Studies. However, Singaporeans also seem to be more selective when it comes to casting votes for the opposition, pointing to the WP’s performance.
The WP had campaigned on a platform of lowering the cost of living and strengthening the safety net. While it failed to win more seats, it cemented its status as the country’s strongest opposition party. Addressing supporters shortly after the results, Pritam Singh acknowledged that ‘it was always going to be a difficult election’ , but vowed to start work again tomorrow and go again.
