First successful electoral test for Lawrence Wong. The Popular Action Party (PAP) of the Prime Minister of Singapore, in post since May 2024, won the general elections of Saturday May 3, with 87 seats won in Parliament out of 97.
“The Singaporeans gave the PAP a strong mandate to govern”welcomed the winner at a press conference after the announcement of the results. Participation reached 65.6 % in this legislative election which allows Mr. Wong to take measures in the face of an uncertain global economic situation.
“These results will place Singapore in a better position to face this turbulent world”he said, adding that they were a “Clear signal of stability and confidence in [le] government “.
Popular after having directed the reaction group to the COVID-19 in Singapore, Mr. Wong, 52, succeeded, in May 2024, in Lee Hsien Loong, the son of Lee Kuan Yew, the figure of the independence of this rich island state of Southeast Asia in 1965.
Recession “not to exclude”
The coming to power of Mr. Wong coincided with a series of challenges for Singapore. The Minister of Commerce, Gan Kim Yong, recently announced that the country could not “Not exclude” A recession in 2025, due to the uncertainty caused by the increase in American customs duties.
Mr. Wong thus called, at the end of April to a “Major restructuring” of the city-state economy, to withstand the “New storm” resulting from the trade war launched by the American president, Donald Trump.
The Prime Minister has also been faced with reinforced opposition, which castigates the government team in place for not slowing down the increase in the cost of living and real estate prices, also calling for more alternative votes to Parliament.
For the political analyst, Nydia Ngiow, the PAP, in power since the independence of 1965, has always been considered a shield in the event of a crisis. In addition, according to her, the war on customs duties does not yet seem a decisive factor in the attitude of voters.
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After putting his bulletin in the ballot box, Mohammed Nazri Ben Hadri, 25, said to the agency France-Presse (AFP) hope “Changes” in the rules of access to social housing, finding “Very difficult” to find a home to buy.
The opposition party gains voices but no seats
The domination of the PAP had been nibbled in the last elections, with a population, especially young people, eager to be heard more. The workers’ party had managed to obtain 10 of the 93 seats at stake during the 2020 election, against 4 previously.
Young people have been increasingly receptive to alternative political voices. A voter told the France-Presse agency that she had been impressed by the new candidates “Refreshing and exciting” from the entire political spectrum. “Whether they are elected or not, I hope that we will see them and hear them more often, and that we will get to know them better”said Shi I Liang, 40.
The workers’ party, which has become more politically skillful, hoped to continue this momentum with a list of charismatic candidates, including a leading lawyer. The party mobilized strongly during its gatherings during the campaign, as in the previous elections. But the main opposition party only kept ten seats, even if he won voices.
Omnipotent PAP has progressed even more and in voice and seats. In response to criticism, the ruling party had recalled that the State had spent billions of euros to help citizens to meet the increase in the cost of living, in particular through financial aid and grocery coupons.