Commentary: GE2025 cements Workers' Party as Singapore's leading opposition party
The Workers' Party (WP) stood its ground at Aljunied, Sengkang and Hougang, and put up close fights at Jalan Kayu and Tampines, retaining 10 seats and adding two more Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seats. This cements WP as the leading opposition party in Singapore.
As the dust settles from GE2025, it has become apparent that opposition parties fall into three tiers. WP is Tier 1, having demonstrated an ability to breach the 40 per cent vote share in the constituencies they contest. Tier 2 parties are the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) who can break past 30 per cent. Tier 3 parties are the rest, including Red Dot United (RDU) and the People's Alliance for Reform (PAR).
For political survival, Tier 3 parties need to consider banding together to offer a unified message. Having contested 62 compared to 50 seats by Tier 1 and 2 parties, their courage and commitment are commendable. However, it will be more effective to have fewer parties doing more work together than many parties doing limited work on their own.
LACKLUSTRE RESULTS FOR SDP AND PSP
Moving up the tiers, both SDP and PSP have expressed disappointment in poorer-than-expected showing. SDP's Dr Paul Tambyah's vote share dropped 7.7 percentage points in Bukit Panjang SMC. This loss may be a result of the PAP's Liang Eng Hwa's ground operations since GE2020. Mr Liang seized the incumbency advantage and worked the ground to swing votes in the PAP's favour.
That makes Dr Chee Soon Juan's performance extraordinary, winning nearly 47 per cent when he stood for the first time at Sembawang West SMC against incumbent Poh Li San. Dr Chee may be on a cusp of a breakthrough into parliament as NCMP or MP in the next GE.
The disappointment stung most for PSP at West Coast-Jurong West GRC, who cited redrawn boundaries as the key driver for its loss. Boundary changes are a 'known unknown' in every election that could affect vote share either way.
It is curious why the A-team of Tan Cheng Bock, Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa did not secure more than 40 per cent of the vote. Could the Biden factor, where old age is a consideration, weigh on voters' minds with regards to Mr Tan? Were voters dissuaded by Mr Leong's belligerence in parliament?
While we unpack voter perceptions of the PSP, we cannot discount the PAP's performance in West Coast-Jurong West GRC, and the 'anchor minister effect' provided by National Development Minister Desmond Lee. His ministry's recent HDB policy changes may have blunted criticisms in this regard by the PSP.
WP PLAYS THE LONG GAME
Much will be debated about the WP's strategy. Were they too conservative by not contesting more wards, or sending more party stalwarts into new territory? I think not.
In turbulence, Aljunied GRC voters preferred the status quo where WP's vote share has stabilised to nearly 60 per cent. By keeping the slate of candidates mostly unchanged, it also consolidated its hold on Sengkang GRC. The WP was rewarded with a 4 percentage point bump in Sengkang, suggesting that ground operations and hard work outweighed the Raeesah Khan saga.
It is unrealistic to win a GRC on a first try. WP seems to be playing the long game by fielding the best possible teams, without compromising Aljunied and Sengkang, to gauge baseline support in new playing fields. Now that they know, they can anchor and adjust going into the next GE.
VOTERS WANT IDEAS, NOT JUST IDEALS
What is remarkable is how the independent candidates performed in GE2025. Despite no party platform and machinery, Jeremy Tan punched above his weight in Mountbatten SMC to achieve the vote share of Tier 2 opposition parties.
Singapore voters may have appreciated independent candidates for their fresh policy proposals, backed by research. This augurs well for our maturing political landscape where Singaporeans are putting candidate above party.
More broadly, parties in the upper tiers leaned into foregrounding their policy ideas in manifestos, and airing them during rally speeches.
WP's Andre Low who secured 48.5 per cent of votes in Jalan Kayu SMC spoke passionately about public housing policies. The SDP proffered their single-payer healthcare system across several rallies while the PSP emphasised changes to the Goods and Service Tax.
THE NEW PROTEST VOTE?
Several observers have sounded the alarm that voter turnout in 2025 was the lowest since 1968 in terms of percentage. If spoilt votes are added, nearly 1 in 10 Singaporeans didn't vote or spoilt their vote in 2025 (excluding voters in walkover constituencies) – a 50 per cent jump from 2020.
While some have attributed voter absences to the timing of GE2025 over a long weekend, when Singaporeans could have been travelling, it is worrying if it arises from a broader pattern of political disengagement. Could this be the new protest vote?
Previously, a protest vote was framed as a vote for the opposition. As our democracy matures, a protest vote seems to be shifting from an opposition vote to a non-or-spoilt vote. This is more insidious and chips away at our political exceptionalism.
Could this present a unique opportunity for opposition parties? Might it be easier to convince undecided, apathetic or disillusioned voters than convert PAP supporters? Regardless, this is a phenomenon that bears watching.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
13 hours ago
- CNA
Commentary: America First, China Next? Why Trump's new travel ban harms US interests
SINGAPORE: United States President Donald Trump has rebooted his travel ban, hitting Southeast Asia for the first time. He banned – partially or fully – citizens of 19 countries, including Myanmar and Laos, from entering the US with effect from Monday (Jun 9). He clearly learned lessons from the ban he instituted initially during his first term. Mr Trump' playbook started with an executive order on the first day of his second term ordering the State Department to launch a global review of foreign governments' vetting and screening capabilities and to identify which were 'so deficient as to warrant' a travel ban. This time, instead of calling it a 'Muslim ban' like he did eight years ago with no study, he justified the ban for national security reasons after a review of several months, claiming also that people from those countries had high rates of overstaying their visas. This policy, preordained but dressed in process, will likely be upheld by the courts. 'A CONVENIENT DISTRACTION' FROM BAD NEWS The travel ban comes amid reports of the lowest US job growth in two years, strong public criticism of Mr Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' from Elon Musk as they feud, and an antisemitic attack a week ago. 'This noxious reboot comes as a convenient distraction from so many bad news items in the form of setbacks for the Trump agenda,' Thurgood Marshall Jr, a senior Clinton official, told me. And while Mr Trump said last week's Colorado 'terror attack' for which an Egyptian national has been charged with injuring several with gasoline bombs spurred the timing of the travel ban, Egypt not being on the list undercuts his premise this ban would have prevented it from happening. This ban both appeals to his core MAGA anti-immigration base and advances his governing philosophy. Mr Trump made the real message plain as he announced the travel ban: 'We don't want them.' The 'America First' agenda includes a sweeping crackdown on immigration: So far, he has barred international students from Harvard University, halted student visa interviews for those accepted to US schools and ordered immigration raids across the country. Of course, every country can and should aim to ensure only legal and lawful immigration to their territory. Citizens from certain countries should receive higher scrutiny for any number of reasons, including whether their government sponsors terrorism. Individuals who have a high chance of overstaying their visa can also be denied one. A blanket ban on all citizens from a given country provides the easy way out administratively and a political win from his base; however, it brings upon the US geopolitical harm. SOUTHEAST ASIA NOT SPARED This time, Laos and Myanmar were included in Mr Trump's travel ban – countries that accounted for barely 11,000 of the 72 million foreign visitors in 2024 per the Department of Commerce. Rick Reece, Executive Director of non-governmental organisation Village Focus International, an American who has lived and worked in Laos since 1998, told me: 'There are so many family connections [with the US] here. Now, uncertainty with the US comes out in anger and cynicism.' 'I hope Lao people don't lose their respect and admiration for the US. My own son and wife, both Lao passport holders, would love to visit the US to see friends and family, but I can't see that happening for the foreseeable future,' he added. Tatum Albertine, a former State Department and USAID official with years of experience in Myanmar, told me it was surprising to see Myanmar included in the travel ban. 'I don't think the Trump Administration even knows what it wants out of its relationship with them,' she said. The US had already taken a reputational hit in the country in the wake of the deadly earthquake in March. 'Trump 2.0 massively failed in sending a USAID humanitarian intervention team,' she added. '[Secretary of State Marco] Rubio said they were deployed, but people on the ground tell me that was not true – those people who were ready had been fired.' The rest of Southeast Asia, including Singapore, are also caught in Mr Trump's continuing assault on immigration, with the halt to student visa interviews pending the expansion of 'social media screening and vetting'. No one knows how long this will last. Some students who have been accepted to US schools have no idea when, or if, they'll be allowed to enter the country. Those already enrolled aren't sure if they will be let back in if they head home during the summer break. In a region where the US competes with China for influence, a ban on two ASEAN member states and collateral damage from the change to student visas could strengthen China's hand. AMERICA FIRST LEADS TO CHINA NEXT While there will be no immediate fallout by banning travel from these countries given their lack of geopolitical and geoeconomic standing, there will still be consequences. Mr Trump's broader immigration policies create anxiety about US travel, amid unhappiness about his sweeping tariffs. A head of global public affairs at an American multinational told me she can't have her team meet in the US this summer because many of her international staff fear travelling there. New York City, the top US destination for internation travel, estimated 2.5 million (or 17 per cent) fewer foreign travellers in 2025. Travel from Canada, the US' top source of visitors, is expected to go down more than 20 per cent. The World Travel & Tourism Council projects a US$12.5 billion loss in international visitor spending this year. Nelson Cunningham, who served in the Biden administration as a Senior Advisor at the State Department, told me: 'If we cut off contact with the best and brightest around the world, America First cannot help but become America Alone'. 'America First inevitably leads to China Next,' he concluded. With the new travel ban, governments will continue to seek alternate markets and partners for trade and security. Businesses will see diminish their advantages with access to foreign government officials, customers and employees. The erosion of Brand America continues.
CNA
20 hours ago
- CNA
CNA speaks to Cardinal William Goh about voting for the Pope
The Papal Conclave is an event shrouded in secrecy. But, for the first time, a Singaporean cast his vote in choosing the next Pope. Nicolas Ng speaks to Cardinal William Goh, who was in the room where it happened.
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
2 new bus services in Tengah and Brickland by year-end, 6 more in 2026: Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow
SINGAPORE: Eight new bus services will be introduced in Tengah and Brickland by the end of next year to help ease residents' connectivity woes, said Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow on Sunday (Jun 8). Complaints on the lack of amenities and transport options have arisen among early residents of Tengah, a new HDB town located in the west of Singapore. The first two bus services will be rolled out by the end of this year. Service 872, which will start from Tengah Bus Interchange and serve areas like Tengah Boulevard, Plantation Crescent, Bukit Batok, Jurong Town Hall and Chinese Garden MRT, is slated to start on Aug 10. The other service will start from Brickland and pass through Bukit Panjang and Jurong East MRT stations. More details will be announced at the start of the fourth quarter. By the end of next year, there will be two express services, one a city direct service from Brickland, and the other is a privately operated bus route from Brickland to the One-North area. There will also be four express feeder services by the end of 2026, which will take residents from their homes to nearby MRT stations, such as Beauty World, Bukit Gombak, Bukit Batok and Jurong East MRT stations. Mr Siow was at a People's Association family event at Tengah Community Club, where he was speaking to the media for the first time since assuming the transport minister role on May 23. He took over the position from Mr Chee Hong Tat, who is now the Minister for National Development. Mr Siow, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Brickland ward that is part of Tengah, touched on some issues faced by Tengah residents at Sunday's event. Mr Siow said in a speech to residents at the community club that there are four "C"s that the government hopes to address: not enough coffee shops, not enough childcare centres, not enough transport connectivity and concerns with the centralised cooling system in their HDB units. He said that the government is 'very focused' on tackling these issues, noting that a multi-agency committee has been set up to support those moving into new Build-to-Order (BTO) flats. He said that the chairman of the committee is Senior Minister of State Sun Xue Ling, who has appointments in both Ministry for National Development and the Ministry of Transport (MOT). 'So just be a little bit patient, because I know we are doing these things as residents are moving in, and it will become better, very, very soon,' he said. The Tengah Bus Interchange opened on Jul 21 last year. With it, a new service 871 was introduced to connect Tengah to Bukit Batok West, Bukit Gombak and Beauty World. Two existing bus services, 992 and 870, were also extended to better serve Tengah residents. WHY PRIVATE BUS SERVICE TO ONE-NORTH? On why a private bus service instead of a public one is being planned to take residents of Tengah to the One-North area, Mr Siow said that it is among the options that the government considers when looking to augment the bus framework. 'We try not to do it extensively and only really for niche routes, because when we run too many private routes, we run the risk of cannibalising demand for the public bus network,' he said. He said that there are certain routes with enough demand that a private operator is prepared to take up but public transport operators are 'not quite ready to do yet'. 'We can, in the short term, introduce some of these routes (and) if they work well, in the longer term, we can always consider incorporating them into the public bus network,' he said. As to why One-North, Mr Siow said that there is a demand from Brickland residents, as many of them work there. 'And so that's how we decided to trial and see,' he said. CUTTING DOWN PUBLIC TRANSPORT TRAVEL TIME There are also longer-term aims for the travel time to be narrowed between taking private and public transport, particularly for HDB estates 'a little bit further away from the city', said Mr Siow. He said that while trains can get people to the city quickly, getting to the train stations can be time-consuming for many of these residents. 'If we can try to do that a little bit better, improving the walkability of the town, improving the density of the bus network, we should be able to bring the journey times down and make public transport more competitive with private transport,' he said. He said that currently, the travel time from Tengah to the city is two to three times longer by public transport than it is for private transport, and he aims to cut it down to one to two times longer. 'And we will be doing that all across Singapore at the estates that are further away from the city, that is my priority,' he said. FIRST THOUGHTS ON NEW JOB Asked about how he is settling into his new role as acting transport minister, Mr Siow said that he is no stranger to the transport portfolio. 'I'm very excited, I've hit the ground running and we are working on how to get LTA's (the Land Transport Authority's) plans on track (and) continue to do the things we have been doing,' he said. Mr Siow held key appointments at the MOT, among others. 'Going back to the ministry has been very positive for me,' he said. 'I've been very happy to be able to reconnect with old colleagues, but also with the issues that I used to work on.' He said he had worked on the Jurong Region Line with the ministry, which is planned to operate through Tengah by 2028. 'When I was an officer at MOT 10 years back, it was a piece of paper, and now it's coming close to reality,' he said. 'These are the things that a lot of us at MOT and LTA are very inspired by, because we do things that matter to Singaporeans, and these are the tangible products of our work.'
