SINGAPORE: Singaporeans will head to the polls on May 3 for the country’s 14th General Election, after President Tharman Shanmugaratnam dissolved parliament on Tuesday (Apr 15).

Nomination Day will be on Apr 23.

The upcoming contest will be the first under Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who was sworn in last May, and Singapore's fourth-generation or 4G leadership team. Mr Wong was named secretary-general of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) in December 2024, succeeding Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the helm of the party.

At stake in this General Election are 97 seats across 33 constituencies, comprising 18 Group Representation Constituencies (GRC) and 15 Single Member Constituencies (SMC).

In the 2020 General Election, which was held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) clinched 61.24 per cent of the votes, winning 83 seats out of an available 93.

But a swing to the opposition saw the Workers’ Party (WP) make inroads into parliament by claiming its second GRC. WP chief Pritam Singh was also formally designated Leader of the Opposition.

The upcoming election could feature candidates from 11 parties, including two opposition alliances. The opposition camp has contested all seats since the 2015 polls.

NINE DAYS OF CAMPAIGNING

Nomination Day marks the start of a nine-day campaigning period.

The last day of campaigning would be on May 1. That is when the May Day Rally will take place, where labour movement leaders and tripartite partners traditionally gather for a large event, with a speech delivered by the prime minister.

The next day, May 2, is Cooling-off Day, to give voters the time to reflect and consider key issues before making their decisions.

"Under the law, Polling Day at any General Election shall be a public holiday. Every employer shall on Polling Day allow every elector in his employ a reasonable period of time to vote," the Elections Department said in a media release on Tuesday.

The Returning Officer for the vote is Mr Han Kok Juan, the director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.

There will be nine nomination centres covering the various electoral divisions. Prospective candidates must deliver nomination papers to the returning officer between 11am and noon on Apr 23.

Singapore's 14th Parliament, which began on Aug 24, 2020, was the second longest in Singapore's history, sitting for about four years and eight months.

It also concluded its term with the highest number of vacant seats since independence, following the departure of six MPs for various reasons.

Under the Singapore system, Cabinet ministers do not vacate their roles after parliament is dissolved, and continue with their responsibilities until the first sitting of the next parliament.

TIMING OF GENERAL ELECTION

Signs of an imminent General Election have been building over the past few months, particularly after the formation of a committee that reviews electoral boundaries.

The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) was formed on Jan 22. Almost seven weeks later, it released its report laying out major changes to Singapore’s electoral map, with five Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) and four single-seat wards remaining unchanged from the last election.

The various political parties have also been unveiling prospective candidates and stepping up their presence on the ground in recent weeks. 

After the date for Polling Day was announced, the prime minister said Singapore is witnessing "profound changes" in the world.

"It is becoming more uncertain, unsettled and even unstable. The global conditions that enabled Singapore’s success over the past decades may no longer hold," Mr Wong said on Facebook.

"That is why I have called this General Election. At this critical juncture, Singaporeans should decide on the team to lead our nation, and to chart our way forward together."

Voter concerns heading into this election include the cost of living, as well as jobs and unemployment, a survey in January found.

A return to full campaigning, including physical election rallies that were last held a decade ago, is expected in what will be Singapore’s first General Election since the COVID-19 pandemic.