(Singapore, May 4) – In this general election, the People’s Action Party (PAP) emerged victorious in most constituencies, retaining its position as the ruling party.
Amid concerns about inflation, stagnant wages, and uncertain employment prospects, Singaporean voters headed to the polls on May 3. The election results reflect a populace turning to the PAP for security amidst fears of global instability.
Ian Chong, Associate Professor of Political Science at the National University of Singapore, stated, "Given Singapore’s economic scale and its vulnerability to international factors, the country feels particularly exposed… Additionally, we are famously risk-averse voters."
Lawrence Wong, who led the PAP to victory, still faces long-term challenges such as high living costs and a shortage of affordable housing. A new challenge lies in the tariffs imposed by the U.S. Trump administration, which could put Singapore’s trade-reliant economy at risk of recession and increased unemployment.
The center-left Workers’ Party failed to gain additional seats in this election but maintained its 10 seats in Parliament.
Pre-election predictions suggested rising opposition strength due to dissatisfaction with the PAP's handling of rising living costs. However, the results indicate significant barriers remain for opposition parties in challenging the ruling party.
CFR Senior Fellow James Kranechik commented, "The results show this was a flight to safety. Voters don’t want to risk changing the government amid the most significant global trade tensions in decades. The PAP provides a strong safety net during tough times, but they also face the same problems."
● Tariff Wars Boost PAP
According to 8World News, analysts believe voters’ concerns over U.S. tariff wars played a major role in the PAP receiving strong support.
According to 8World News, analysts believe voters’ concerns over U.S. tariff wars played a major role in the PAP receiving strong support.
Political analysts Lim Yi Ming and Bai Shenghui noted during Mediacorp’s election night special that the PAP’s overall vote share rose to 65.57%, an improvement from the previous election, signaling voter confidence in the fourth-generation leadership.
"Looking back at the last election, where the vote share fell to 61%, there were concerns it might drop below 60%, especially after the Workers’ Party introduced impressive new candidates on Nomination Day. Today’s results show a rebound, which is excellent for PM Wong. I believe the tariff wars significantly helped the PAP. The timing of this election was perfect for them, as they capitalized on a favorable moment."
● Workers’ Party Maintains Identity
Zhang Jiaqi, a researcher at the Institute of Policy Studies’ Social Research Centre, commented on the Workers’ Party’s performance.
Zhang Jiaqi, a researcher at the Institute of Policy Studies’ Social Research Centre, commented on the Workers’ Party’s performance.
"They retained their existing seats, and in most constituencies they contested, many candidates were newcomers. Yet their vote share exceeded 40%, showing the party has a strong identity, and some voters trust their candidates. Compared to other parties, the Workers’ Party has a more positive public perception."
● PSP Underperforms Expectations
Another opposition party, the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), fell short of expectations. Zhang Jiaqi noted that PSP Secretary-General Tan Cheng Bock and First Vice-Chair Hazel Poa are no longer eligible for Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seats, suggesting the need for a strategic reassessment.
Another opposition party, the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), fell short of expectations. Zhang Jiaqi noted that PSP Secretary-General Tan Cheng Bock and First Vice-Chair Hazel Poa are no longer eligible for Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seats, suggesting the need for a strategic reassessment.
The PSP suffered a complete defeat, losing all six constituencies it contested to the PAP, and performed worse overall than in the last election.