Singapore's governing party PAP secures election victory, boosts vote share
In the recent general election held on Saturday, Singapore's ruling People's Action Party (PAP) achieved a more robust mandate, obtaining 65.57 percent of the popular vote. This marks a significant increase from their 2020 share of 61.24 percent, as revealed by official results published early Sunday.

The PAP won 87 of the 97 elected parliamentary seats and will govern 30 of the city-state's 33 constituencies.
The opposition Workers' Party (WP) held onto its 10 seats, successfully maintaining its presence in three constituencies located in eastern Singapore. No other opposition party managed to win any seats.
Having been in power since Singapore's independence in 1965, the PAP was widely anticipated to achieve a victory. However, attention was drawn to the margin by which they won, particularly considering the decrease in the PAP's vote share from 69.86 percent in 2015 to the lower percentage in the previous election.
This election was also significant as it marked the first time Prime Minister Lawrence Wong led the PAP into a general election, having succeeded Lee Hsien Loong in May 2024 after Lee's two-decade leadership.
Analysts indicate that the PAP's performance—including wins in several high-profile races and decisive victories exceeding 80 percent in various wards—demonstrates a robust mandate, especially in light of increased global uncertainty due to sweeping U.S. tariffs. Both Wong and Lee cautioned that external shocks could have enduring effects on Singapore's open economy.
While the WP did not increase its representation, it is perceived as gaining traction. The party expanded its presence from six seats in 2015 to ten in 2020, and this year it retained its strongholds in Hougang and Aljunied while achieving 56.31 percent of the vote in Sengkang, up from 52.12 percent in 2020, when it won the constituency in a closely contested race. The vote margins between the WP and PAP were tight in several other constituencies they contested.
In the recent general election, Singapore recorded a turnout of 92.47 percent, with 2,429,281 votes cast, including 42,829 rejected ballots, according to a statement from the Elections Department released early Sunday.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
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