Singapore sets 3 May election in first major test for PM Lawrence Wong

Singapore — Singapore will hold general elections on 3 May, its Elections Department announced Tuesday, after President Tharman Shanmugaratnam dissolved Parliament on the advice of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

This will be the first national vote under Wong, who succeeded Lee Hsien Loong last year, ending decades of direct leadership by the family of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew. The election is widely seen as a crucial test of Wong’s political mandate as he steps out of the shadow of the powerful Lee dynasty.

“President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, on the advice of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, has dissolved Parliament on Tuesday, 15 April 2025,” a government statement said.

Nomination day has been set for 23 April, with the campaign period culminating in the 3 May polling day.

A total of 97 seats will be contested—four more than the previous election—with most elected through a group representation constituency system that opposition parties say gives an advantage to the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), which has been in power since 1959.

In the 2020 elections, the main opposition Workers’ Party shocked the nation by winning 10 of 93 seats, its best performance yet. The party is expected to build on that momentum, while smaller opposition groups are also preparing to contest several constituencies.

This year’s vote takes place amid heightened global economic uncertainty, with analysts warning that US President Donald Trump's tariff war poses a serious threat to global trade. Although Singapore was hit with only the baseline 10 percent tariff, it remains vulnerable to wider economic disruption due to its strong dependence on international commerce.

The outcome of the election will be closely watched for signs of voter sentiment in the post-Lee era and for how Singaporeans perceive Wong’s leadership during a time of shifting global dynamics.