Singapore's ruling Action People's Party wins 87 of 97 seats in parliamentary election

Singapore, May 4 (IANS) Singapore's ruling People's Action Party (PAP) won 87 of the 97 seats in Parliament in Saturday's general election, according to local media reports.

The country's main opposition Workers' Party (WP) secured 10 seats.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, whose party won the election, thanked supporters.

A total of 209 candidates from 11 political parties and coalitions, along with two independents, contested 97 elected seats in the Parliament.

This election marks the first time Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has led the PAP into a general election, after succeeding Lee Hsien Loong in May 2024, following Lee's two-decade tenure.

About 82 per cent of the voters, 2,164,593 people, have cast their ballots by 5 p.m., CNA reported, citing the election authorities.

Sample counts showed 10 seats for the Workers' Party (WP), according to The Straits Times.

A total of 211 candidates from 11 political parties are competing for 97 seats in Parliament.

Earlier, the polling began at 8 a.m. and continued till 8 p.m.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong also cast his vote at his constituency at Evans Road in the Bukit Timah area in the city.

The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) is aiming to extend its uninterrupted hold on power since independence in 1965.

Voting is compulsory in the city-state where average turnout since 2001 has reached 94.2 per cent, according to official data.

The PAP, which has won all 13 general elections since independence, is the only party fielding candidates in all constituencies.

Its main challenger, the Workers' Party, is competing for 26 seats.

Only six parties are running for more than 10 seats each.

The election will decide the seats in 33 constituencies, 17 of which are multi-member group representation constituencies (GRCs) and 15 single-member constituencies.

Most races remain straight fights, with only five constituencies seeing more than two parties competing.

The brief nine-day campaign followed the official announcement on April 15.

The PAP is widely expected to retain its majority, although opposition parties are hoping to make modest gains, particularly in urban districts where cost-of-living concerns have been rising.

Singapore's electoral landscape is shaped by strict campaigning rules and a centralised political culture, with the PAP emphasising stability, economic growth, and social order in its campaign messaging.

Final results are expected late Saturday, though official declarations may follow after all votes are counted and reviewed, including overseas and postal ballots.

--IANS

int/khz