| Parliament name |
Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
7 May 2011 |
| Timing and scope of renewal |
Elections were held for 87 seats in Parliament following premature dissolution of this body on 19 April 2011. Elections had previously been held in May 2006. |
At stake in the May 2011 elections were 87 directly elected seats (up from 84). Following the amendments to the Parliamentary Elections Act in October 2011, up to nine non-constituency members (instead of three previously, see note) are nominated to parliament among the unsuccessful opposition candidates who received the highest number of votes in the elections.
In the previous elections held in May 2006, the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) took 82 of the 84 seats at stake. The Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) and the Worker's Party (WPS) took one seat each. The PAP has won all elections since the country gained independence in 1965.
The 2006 elections were the first to be held under Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, son of the founder of the nation and former prime minister, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. The latter, who had transformed Singapore into an economic power, retired in 1990 and was succeeded by Mr. Goh Chok Tong until 2004. Since 2004, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew has been Cabinet's Mentor, a new post specially created for him.
On 19 April 2011, President S. R. Nathan, on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, dissolved parliament, triggering general elections. The term of the outgoing legislature was due to end in November 2011. The official gazette did not specify the reason for dissolution.
Of the 87 seats at stake, 75 are elected through Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs - comprising between four and six seats each). Electors vote for one party and the winning party takes all the seats in the GRC concerned, while the remainder are filled under the first-past-the post system. No opposition parties have ever won the GRCs.
In 2011, the opposition forces fielded a record number of candidates, covering nearly all the constituencies. As a result, only five PAP candidates, including Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, were elected unopposed, down from 37 in 2006.
Prior to the elections, the government came under criticism over rising housing prices, crowded public transport and the increasing number of foreign workers. During the election campaign, Prime Minister Lee presented his apologies - a rare act - and promised to do his best to fix those problems during his next term. The PAP pledged to improve the lives of lower-income Singaporeans.
The WPS pledged to bring greater diversity to the newly elected parliament. It deplored the small number of opposition forces represented in the outgoing parliament and underscored the need to correct the imbalance which, in its view, reduced parliament to a rubber stamp for the government's agenda. It called on voters to change the situation, in which one party decided everything. WPS leader Low Thia Khiang led a strategic campaign in the five-member GRC in Aljunied, trying to defeat the group of candidates led by Foreign Minister George Yeo (PAP).
In all, 93.18 per cent of the 2.2 million registered voters turned out at the polls.
The PAP took 81 of the 87 seats at stake, thus giving the Prime Minister a new mandate. However, its share of votes was reduced to a record low of 60.1 per cent, down from 75.3 per cent in 2006. Two cabinet ministers, including the Foreign Minister, lost their seats. The WPS took six seats - including the five GRC seats in Aljunied - the highest score for an opposition force since 1965. In all, 19 women were elected. Since six opposition members were elected in 2011, three non-constituency members were nominated to parliament: two men from the WPS and one woman from the Singapore People's Party.
On 11 May, 87-year old Mr. Lee Kuan Yew resigned as Cabinet's Mentor, stating that the time has come for a younger generation to carry Singapore forward.
On 2 July, President S. R. Nathan announced that he would not stand for a new term. In the presidential polls held on 27 August, Mr. Tony Tan Keng Yam (PAP) was elected as the new President.
Note:
The number of non-constituency members to be declared elected shall be nine less the number of opposition members elected. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 7 May 2011 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
2'211'102
2'060'373 (93.18%)
44'737
2'015'636 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% of votes |
|
|
| People's Action Party (PAP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Workers' Party (WPS) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Singapore People's Party (SPP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total of seats
|
Directly elected |
Non-constituency |
|
|
| People's Action Party (PAP) |
81
|
81 |
0 |
|
|
| Workers' Party (WPS) |
8
|
6 |
2 |
|
|
| Singapore People's Party (SPP) |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
70
20
22.22%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
- Parliament (20.05.2011)
- http://www.elections.gov.sg/
Note on the distribution of seats according to sex
In the 2011 elections 20 women were elected:
- 19 of 87 directly elected members;
- 1 Non-Constituency member.
As at 20 May 2011, the President had not appointed nine members. |
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