'Tough' Singapore election expected for non-Lee leader

Singaporeans vote on May 3 in an election that will test Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's leadership, as the wealthy citystate faces a turbulent global economy upended by US tariffs.

- Martin Abbugao, Agence France-Presse

This will be the first electoral battle for the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) under Wong since he succeeded Lee Hsien Loong, the son of founding premier Lee Kuan Yew, last year after decades of leadership by the Lees. Parliament was dissolved Tuesday, clearing the way for the vote. Singapore has long been dominated by the PAP, which is expected to remain in power, but opposition gains are closely watched as a referendum on the government's popularity. And the upcoming elections come at a precarious time.

The global trading system that supported tiny, trade-reliant Singapore's rapid ascent to prosperity is under severe strain since US President Donald Trump's return to the White House. Singapore, one of the world's biggest transhipment hubs, finds itself exposed after Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on dozens of countries, disrupting global supply chains and sparking fears of a full-blown trade war with China. On Monday, Singapore's trade ministry downgraded its economic growth forecast for 2025 to between zero and 2.0 per cent from 1.0-3.0 per cent.