Singapore, today, is conducting its first presidential election in over a decade, a poll seen as an indicator of the ruling party’s popular support following a series of political scandals. Although the presidential position is largely ceremonial, it holds sway over the state’s financial reserves and has the ability to veto certain actions, including anti-corruption investigations.
The outgoing president, Halimah Yacob, ran uncontested in 2017 for a six-year term. The country is currently governed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong from the People’s Action Party (PAP), in power since 1959. By law, the president must not belong to any political party. Observers suggest the vote could gauge popular support for the ruling party ahead of the 2025 general elections, especially after public discontent over recent scandals. These include a corruption investigation into Transport Minister S. Iswaran and the resignation of two ruling party deputies over romantic involvements.
The frontrunner for the office is 66-year-old Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a former deputy prime minister and central bank governor who resigned from the PAP before running. Questions have been raised during the campaign about his impartiality. Another candidate is Ng Kok Song, 75, a former investment director at the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds. The third candidate is businessman Tan Kin Lian, 75, former CEO of major local insurance company NTUC Income, who previously lost in the 2011 presidential race.
Political analyst Mustafa Izzuddin of Solaris Strategies Singapore consultancy states, “We expect an increase in protest votes due to public disaffection with the current government.”
Singapore has always enjoyed a reputation for clean governance, which has played a significant role in attracting massive foreign investments and establishing the country as a financial and trading hub. However, the ruling party, the People’s Action Party (PAP), has faced increasing opposition and recorded its worst electoral performance in 2020. Nevertheless, it still retained two-thirds of parliamentary seats.
Voting is mandatory for more than 2.7 million eligible citizens. Failure to vote without a valid reason risks removal from the electoral list. The upcoming election is crucial not only for the candidates but also for Singapore’s political landscape, as it could be an early indicator of how the PAP might perform in the 2025 general elections amidst growing dissatisfaction and calls for transparency.
