S’pore calls for election amid pandemic

Bloomberg

Singapore will hold an election on July 10 as PM Lee Hsien Loong seeks a renewed mandate to govern amid the coronavirus pandemic that has pummeled the country’s economy.
Lee said on Tuesday that he advised President Halimah Yacob to dissolve parliament and issue the writ of election, setting the stage for the upcoming polls. Candidate nominations will take place on June 30, the prime minister’s office said.
“We need a capable government, with the strong backing of the people, to do all that needs to be done on your behalf, and see us through these tumultuous times,” Lee said in a televised address. “An election now — when things are relatively stable — will clear the decks, and give the new government a fresh five-year mandate.”
The government’s approach to tackling Covid-19 and the economic fallout is set to become a defining issue in the vote. Singapore, which has more than 42,000 confirmed cases of the virus, last week further relaxed restrictive measures and allowed most activities to resume, with authorities assessing the infection situation to be under control.
Co-founded by his father and founding premier Lee Kuan Yew, the People’s Action Party has been in power since Singapore’s independence in 1965. Popular among Singaporeans, it has maintained power through a combination of successful economic management, the lack of a united opposition and election rules favoring the incumbents.
“I think we shouldn’t be expecting any massive upset,” said Eugene Tan, an associate professor of law at Singapore Management University. “But I don’t think that’s really the focus of the ruling party — I think their focus would be on the margin of victory.”
Lee, 68, has been actively grooming what he calls the “fourth generation” of PAP politicians. He has signalled he intends to step aside by the time he turns 70 in 2022. Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who is also finance minister, has been tipped to take over the top job.