SINGAPORE: On 15 April 2025, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong advised President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to dissolve Parliament and issue the Writ of Election.
Nomination Day has been set for 23 April, with Singaporeans scheduled to vote in the country’s 14th General Election on 3 May.
This election will mark the first under Prime Minister Wong, who assumed office in May 2024, leading the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) fourth-generation (4G) leadership team.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Wong highlighted the profound global changes Singapore is experiencing.
He emphasised the increasing uncertainty and instability in the world, noting that the conditions which had supported Singapore’s success over the past decades may no longer apply.
He explained that this growing instability was the key reason for calling the election, urging Singaporeans to decide on the leadership team that would guide the nation through this challenging period.
“At this critical juncture, Singaporeans should decide on the team to lead our nation, and to chart our way forward together,” Wong said.
PM Wong earlier refused to confirm election date
However, a media interview with Wong on 26 March in Hanoi, shortly before his return from a two-day visit to Vietnam, showed a different stance.
At that time, Wong refrained from confirming the election date, stating, “The election will come when it comes.”
He did acknowledge that the election was not just about securing a strong mandate for the PAP, but also about recognising the stakes for Singapore in a rapidly changing global environment.
“To survive, to thrive, and to navigate a challenging global environment, we will need a strong and united Singapore,” Wong added.
Despite Wong’s reticence regarding the election date, a series of senior public servant resignations and the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report in March suggested the PAP was already preparing to field new candidates.
On 12 April, Wong confirmed that the ruling party would introduce its largest slate of new candidates in recent history, with over 30 newcomers set to join the 14th General Election.
Did PAP Ministers know the Election date in advance?
At the conclusion of the final Parliamentary sitting on 8 April, an exchange between former Speaker Seah Kian Peng and former Deputy Leader of the House Zaqy Mohamad raised suspicions about whether the ruling party had prior knowledge of the election date before it was officially announced on 15 April.
As the sitting drew to a close, Seah asked Zaqy to move that the House be adjourned to “a date to be fixed.”
Zaqy confirmed the adjournment, adding, “Yes, please, thank you,” while flashing a smirk.
This seemingly casual remark, coupled with knowing smiles exchanged among several ministers, piqued observers’ curiosity.
Notably, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan was seen conversing with Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, with both appearing to share a knowing smile.
Such interactions have sparked speculation that certain PAP Ministers and MPs may have had prior knowledge of the parliamentary dissolution date.
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