SINGAPORE – A disciplined campaign focused on the core issues and the absence of hardline tactics were key reasons behind the resounding mandate that the PAP received on May 3.

The ruling party also harvested the fruits of groundwork over the past five years and efforts to assuage voters’ concerns on matters such as the cost of living, while tailoring its campaign with constituency-specific plans for different towns.

These decisions helped deliver 65.57 per cent of the vote to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his first election as head of government and secretary-general of the PAP, and cemented his leadership of party and country. 

The ruling party won 87 out of 97 seats in the next term of Parliament, and improved on 61.24 per cent of the popular vote at the 2020 General Election.

Drumming home the fundamentals

Fronted by PM Wong, the PAP’s campaign had a consistent message that was reiterated every day at rallies across the island – from Choa Chu Kang and Sembawang to Punggol and Sengkang – as well as at the lunchtime Fullerton rally and May Day Rally. 

This was: that a strong government led by the PAP is necessary to meet the challenges of a changed world, and that going with the team with a proven track record would give the Republic the best chance of continuing to succeed.

PM Wong was reinforced on the key themes by Senior Ministers Lee Hsien Loong and Teo Chee Hean, noted Institute of Policy Studies senior research fellow Gillian Koh.

This included articulating the PAP’s thinking on key issues like multiracialism and job creation, as well as tackling the Income-Allianz deal when it was brought up during the hustings, and whether raising the goods and services tax was necessary in an inflationary environment, said Dr Koh.

Left largely unsaid in the Prime Minister’s call for Singaporeans to send all of the PAP’s ministers – as well as its cohort of 32 newcomers – to Parliament was that the election w...