Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong resigned on Wednesday, handing power to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, the city-state’s first change of government in 20 years.
Mr Wong, 51, a US-trained economist who is credited with overseeing the country’s response to the pandemic, will become the fourth prime minister to lead Singapore and the first leader after independence in 1965. Become. He is a second-generation leader who is not a member of the founding Lee family. He is scheduled to be sworn in at a ceremony Wednesday night.
Mr Wong, who will receive a salary of S$2.2 million (approximately US$1.6 million), takes over at a difficult time for the city, with domestic concerns about the cost of living, inequality and immigration growing. Highly dependent on foreign trade, Singapore also finds itself vulnerable to broader global instability, including conflict between the United States and China.
Outgoing Prime Minister Lee has ruled Singapore since 2004 and has overseen the country’s economic growth, one of the world’s wealthiest countries. “He helped Singapore achieve global economic liberalization through trade, especially finance and financial services,” said Jia Ian Chong, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore.
But the world in which Lee has operated is being eroded, Chung added. “What we are experiencing now is a period of diminishing interest in economic integration globally, and we are seeing a growing disconnect between the United States and China. [People’s Republic of China]”
Singapore maintains a delicate balance between China and the United States. The former is Singapore’s largest trading partner, but Singapore also has military ties with the United States, which accounts for more than 20% of all foreign direct investment in Singapore.
Mr Wong has emphasized continuity, Mr Chong said, adding it was unclear how the next prime minister would adapt to the new challenges facing Singapore. “In Singapore’s system, the process of selecting the prime minister is very opaque. It’s different than a more competitive system.”
Mr Wong, a former civil servant who first entered politics in 2011, comes from a poorer background than his predecessor. Outgoing Prime Minister Lee, 72, is the son of Lee Kuan Yew, widely known as the founder of modern Singapore, but like most Singaporeans, Mr Wong grew up in public housing and did not attend elite schools.
Mr Wong has sought to portray himself as a more approachable politician in recent years, posting videos on social media of himself playing the guitar to Taylor Swift’s “Love Story.”
Eugene Tan, an associate professor of law at the Singapore Management University, said some young voters want to see a change in Singapore’s leadership style, one that is less paternalistic and more inclusive of diverse opinions. “The verdict is [People’s Action] The party thrived because the Third World to First World story resonated well with my parents’ and grandparents’ generation. However, it doesn’t really resonate with Millennials and Gen Z. Because all they know is first-world Singapore,” he said.
Mr Wong will likely seek to bring about “incremental changes in the political system”, he added.
The PAP, which has been in power since 1959, has also recently been rocked by a rare corruption scandal, which, while not fatal, has had a “humiliating impact” on the party, Tan said.
Lee’s succession had been planned for years. He had previously said he planned to retire before he turned 70, but the carefully managed transition was delayed by the pandemic.
Elections are expected to be held by November 2025.
