The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) extended its uninterrupted grip on power with a decisive victory in Saturday's general election, winning 87 of the 97 parliamentary seats, official results confirmed Sunday. The win marks the PAP's 14th consecutive general election triumph, continuing a six-decade streak of governance that began before Singapore's independence in 1965. The party captured 65.57% of the vote, up from 61.24% in the last election. The Workers' Party (WP) was the only opposition group to retain a foothold in parliament, winning 10 seats. All other opposition parties failed to secure representation despite fielding candidates in multiple constituencies. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, facing his first electoral test since taking over from long-serving leader Lee Hsien Loong in May 2024, hailed the outcome as a vote of confidence. "Now that the election is over, we must put aside our differences and stand together as one Team Singapore to confront the storms ahead," Wong said at a post-election news conference. He described the result as "a clear signal of trust, stability and confidence." A total of 2,429,281 votes were cast — including 42,829 rejected ballots — representing a turnout of 92.47% of the 2,627,026 registered voters across contested districts. Wong said he would announce the Cabinet lineup "when ready" as his government prepares to confront a range of challenges, including rising living costs, housing shortages, and paused reciprocal tariffs from the United States under President Donald Trump. — Agencies
