David Wee has lived in the same terrace house with his family in eastern Singapore for his entire life. Over more than 40 years, the Wee family has been a part of five different electoral constituencies. Singaporean electoral boundary changes, which occur shortly before general elections, have led to accusations of gerrymandering by government critics. However, the Elections Department claims that the recent boundary changes were driven by voter growth and future housing developments.
The upcoming Saturday election in Singapore is expected to return the long-ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) to power, as they have won every election since Singapore’s independence in 1965. These elections serve as a test of public sentiment towards the ruling party and a referendum on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who took over from former premier Lee Hsien Loong last year.
In Singapore, voting is compulsory and elections are held every five years. The city-state has a unique voting system, with voters either part of a single-member constituency or a Group Representation Constituency (GRC). In a GRC, voters cast their ballots for teams of up to five politicians, and at least one candidate must be from a minority ethnic group.
While the PAP is expected to maintain power, there is a growing demand for a greater say in governance and a desire for a less restrictive government. Singapore’s success and prosperity have been achieved under the PAP, but increasingly, Singaporean voters want a more participatory political system.
Moreover, concerns around the rising cost of living, inflation, and housing affordability are dominating the political debate. The opposition Workers’ Party is also gaining strength, fielding a slate of young and highly credentialled candidates. The PAP, now led by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, is expected to improve or maintain its vote share and address the concerns of the electorate to secure a strong mandate.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/2/singapore-votes-as-city-state-prepares-to-mark-60-years-of-independence?traffic_source=rss
