Wednesday, April 16

Singapore has dissolved their Parliament as global conditions around the world continue to change, and their upcoming election has been set for May 3.

The People's Action Party (PAP) has sat at the forefront of Singaporean politics since its independence in 1965, making them the assumed winner. However, they have called for this snap election to restore their support.

Singapore has only had four leaders in the city-state's short lifetime, beginning with former Prime Minister Lee Yuan Kew in 1965. He remained prime minister for 31 years before handing it over to former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, who kept the position until 2004. Following Goh's departure, Singapore elected Lee's son, Lee Hsien Loong. Then, last year, he handed the presidency over to Lawrence Wong, the incumbent prime minister.

However, in recent years, the PAP's support has been slowly declining, reaching a record low level of 61% in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. While they still maintained control over Parliament, with 83 out of the 93 total seats, support has continued to slip.

Both Singapore's internal and globally related situations are contributing to this. Many young Singaporeans are unhappy with the current state of the city-state, which has risen to become one of the most expensive cities in the world. The government's previous approach to affordable housing has faded away, and prices across the city are skyrocketing. In addition, tight restrictions on internet media and harsh rules have decreased the PAP's support.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump's recent tariffs have not helped the situation either, increasing costs, and the city-state's GDP grew less than expected this quarter.

Now, they will hope to restore confidence in their party with a general election, while also making some changes. This election will allow Singaporeans to choose from a multitude of candidates, and the PAP hope that it will bring their support back up to where it was prior to the pandemic.

Fact of the Day (Today): Cleopatra was born in Egypt, but she actually comes from Greek Macedonian descent.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): You never make the same mistake twice. the second time you make it, it is no longer a mistake. it is a choice. (Lauren Conrad)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Pugnacious (adj, pug-NAY-shus) - Someone described as pugnacious shows a readiness or desire to fight or argue.

In a Sentence: There's one pugnacious member on the committee who won't agree to anything.