On April 15, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam dissolved Parliament, paving the way for the 2025 Singapore General Elections (GE2025). Singaporeans will head to the polls on May 3. Candidates will contest 97 seats in 18 Group Representative Constituencies (GRCs) and 15 Single Member Constituencies (SMCs), with no walkovers expected. The Elections Department Media Release outlined the following key dates:
- April 15: Singapore Parliament dissolved, Writ of Election Issued
- April 23: Nomination Day
- April 23-May 1: Campaigning Period
- May 2: Cooling off Period (no campaign allowed)
- May 3: Polling Day
GE2025 serves as the first major electoral test for Lawrence Wong as Prime Minister. The People’s Action Party (PAP) has dominated the country’s elections since its 1965 independence. However, in recent elections, it has increasingly ceded more ground –with 10 seats lost to the Workers’ Party in GE2020. The parliamentary composition is likely to remain post-GE2025. However, based on the Workers’ Party’s latest updates, third of Parliament and challenge the majority consensus. While the individual Parties’ line-ups are still to be confirmed, we can expect the PAP to refresh its candidates and appoint some Members of Parliament to Cabinet positions. Notably, two Cabinet retirements have been announced, such as Transport Sustainability and the Environment Senior Minister of State Amy Khor and Senior Minister of State for Defense Heng Chee How. April 23 Nomination Day will bring certainty to these speculations. It will also give indication on the next generation of leaders from PAP and emerging leaders in other political parties. A Cabinet reshuffle will follow the general elections. It will be watched closely as PM Wong refines and defines his closer leadership circle, since assuming the PM position in May 2024.
In February 2025, PM Wong unveiled Budget 2025. It put in place measures to ease pressures from cost-of-living expenses and to support business and innovation, being coined as an "Election Budget". The Singapore economy relies on free and open trade, and has since downgraded its growth forecast to 0-2%, down from 1-3% amidst the uncertainty from the U.S. tariffs introduced by the second Trump Administration.
Given these developments, the US-ASEAN Business Council is looking into organizing its annual business mission to Singapore in July 2025. Mission details will be shared with members when more details of the new Cabinet are confirmed.
