The parliament has been dissolved to have an early snap general election.
Singapore's parliament was on Tuesday dissolved, clearing way for a snap general election next month in which Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's ruling party's 50 years of political dominance will be tested by voters amid growing immigration worries and a high cost of living.
President Tony Tan Keng Yam, on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, dissolved the 12th Parliament on Tuesday. The People's Action Party, which has ruled for more than 50 years, is widely expected to retain its overwhelming majority in the 89-seat parliament owing to a divided opposition; it holds 80 out of 87 seats.
The prime minister, who had until January 2017 to hold an election, has also sought support in a televised address. But the party, whose founder and Singapore's first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, died in March, aged 91, is likely to be under pressure as citizens resent an increasing influx of foreigners and a high cost of living. Lee posted about the election on his Facebook page.
"You will be deciding who will govern Singapore for the next five years. More than that, you will be choosing the team to work with you for the next 15-20 years, and setting the direction for Singapore for the next 50 years," the 63-year- old prime minister said. Lee's PAP is expected to contest all 89 seats, as it has done for many decades. This would be the third time that Lee would be leading PAP in the general elections. Voting is compulsory in the prosperous city-state, also a leading business hub.
The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee has drawn 89 seats from Singapore's 29 constituencies. An estimated 2.46 million eligible voters will vote on September 11, up from 2.35 million in 2011. Nomination Day for people to contest in the GE is set on September 1. Opposition political parties are also expected to contest all the 89 seats in the GE, which, according to The Straits Times, was happening for the first time since 1963. The opposition parties have met twice recently to work out seat contesting arrangement and avoid multi-cornered contests. But this does not prevent independent contestants.
The Workers' Party (WP) is expected to nominate 28 contestants, the largest number, up from 23 fielded in 2011 when six of its members were elected to parliament.
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