Singapore Gears Up For Highly-Anticipated Presidential Election After More Than A Decade

Singaporeans are participating in the first contested presidential election in more than a decade on Friday, Sep. 1, with the outcome being seen as a gauge of support for the ruling party amidst recent political scandals, Barron’s reported. 

The election comes as a replacement for incumbent Halimah Yacob, who ran unopposed in 2017. The race has seen the lines of political allegiance become apparent, even though the presidency is constitutionally non-partisan.

The key contenders include former deputy prime minister and finance minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, former insurance executive Tan Kin Lian, and Ng Kok Song, the ex-chief investment officer of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, GIC.

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Analysts suggest that this vote could reflect the level of support for the People’s Action Party (PAP), led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The PAP has been governing Singapore since 1959.

The PAP has been grappling with rare political scandals recently, which may impact its support base. Despite its worst-ever election performance in 2020, the PAP managed to retain its more than two-thirds majority.

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