SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong may be in for a tough time, according to news outlets reporting on Singapore’s upcoming General Election on May 3
This election, the first for PM Wong, who was sworn into office on May 15, 2024, is perceived as a test for him.
Reuters acknowledged that the ruling People’s Action Party “is almost certain to dominate and win most seats”, as it has in every election since Singapore became independent in 1965.
The question is how much of the popular vote the PAP will keep.
In the last election in 2020, the party won 61.24 per cent of the overall vote.
While this figure may be considered enviable in most other countries, it was a drop for the PAP. It had won by an even bigger margin in the previous election in 2015 when it secured 69.86 per cent of the vote.
The Workers’ Party won an unprecedented 10 seats in 2020 and captured two GRCS for the first time. The Progress Singapore Party also put up a keen fight, suggesting that the opposition may have momentum on its side.
PM Wong faces problems also because of global tensions, both economic and otherwise. The tariffs announced earlier this month by US President Donald Trump could heavily impact trade-reliant Singapore.
Mr Wong acknowledged as much in a social media post on April 15, writing, “We are witnessing profound changes in the world. It is becoming more uncertain, unsettled, and even unstable. The global conditions that enabled Singapore’s success over the past decades may no longer hold.
“That is why I have called this General Election. At this critical juncture, Singaporeans should decide on the team to lead our nation, and to chart our way forward together.”
“Singapore, one of the world’s biggest transhipment hubs, finds itself exposed after Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on dozens of countries, disrupting global supply chains and sparking fears of a full-blown trade war with China,” noted the Agence France-Presse, adding that the Ministry ofTrade and Industry of Singapore downgraded its economic growth forecast for the year from 1 to 3% to zero to 2%.
The AFP also made mention of PM Wong as a “non-Lee leader”.
The BBC similarly pointed out that GE2025 will be a test for PM Wong, adding that the cost of living, housing, employment, as well as the healthcare needs of Singapore’s ageing society would be key election issues.
Al-Jazeera, meanwhile, said that the elections come at a “delicate” moment for Singapore due to the tariffs issue.
Although the 10% tariff on Singapore is the lowest imposed by President Trump, PM Wong said on April 8, “We are very disappointed by the US move, especially considering the deep and longstanding friendship between our two countries.”
The Diplomat pointed out that the decreasing support for the PAP among younger Singaporeans is another issue the ruling party must face. After the 2020 general election, surveys showed that support for the Workers’ Party was highest among voters aged 21 to 25, who were then facing economic uncertainty and poorer job prospects owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. /TISG
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