Singapore votes amid U.S.-China trade tensions, ruling PAP seeks fresh mandate

Singaporeans vote in 19th General Election amid global trade tensions, with 211 candidates contesting for 92 parliamentary seats.

A total of 2,758,846 registered Singaporean voters are heading into polling booths for the 19th General Election 2025 to elect the next government, which is set to face strong global headwinds caused by trade tariffs announced by the United States, the biggest trading partner of the Southeast Asian city-state.

Voting began at 8 a.m. on Saturday (May 3, 2025) at 1,240 stations set up island-wide, with polling polling booths set to be be closed at 8 p.m. and results expected late at night.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, completing nearly a year in office, is seeking a fresh mandate for the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), which has governed the city-state since independence and steered its development into a global financial hub.

“Singapore is in the cross road between U.S. and China trade war,” a diplomatic source said, adding that the trade focused island has strong diplomatic and economic relations with both the giant economies, a fall off from which will affect its future progress.

This is Singapore's 19th election since the first general election in 1948 and 14th since its independence in 1965.

Multinational corporations and Asian businesses, using Singapore as a springboard into Asian markets, are closely monitoring GE2025, the source said.

A total of 92 out of 97 parliamentary seats are being contested by 211 candidates across various political parties. Cost of living, housing, and the rising number of foreign workers have emerged as key election issues.