GE2025 Results Is Out – When Will The PAP Government Form The Next Cabinet?

In GE2025, the ruling PAP was given an overwhelming mandate from Singaporeans. Leading his first General Elections, PM Lawrence Wong’s PAP won 65.57% of the votes and 87 of the 97 Parliament seats.

This was better than the last outing in GE2020, when the PAP won 61.24% of the votes, and 83 of the 93 Parliament seats. More importantly, for PAP, they did not concede any new constituencies to the opposition.

There’s a bigger question for the opposition to answer in Singapore. While the Worker’s Party (WP) retained its existing seats, they did not win any new ground. Nevertheless, they ran the PAP close in the constituencies the participated in, and their share of voice may increase with the 2 NCMP seats going to them. 

Read Also: GE2025 Final Results: 5 Significant Highlights To Know As Singapore Move Towards A Two-Party System

2 More Key Steps To Wrapping Up GE2025

While the results of GE2025 is in, there are still 2 main steps left. Every candidate in GE2025 must account for their election spending, to the Returning Officer, within 31 days of the election results being published. This will be opened to members of the public for inspection for a period of 6 months thereafter.

There’s also the matter of destroying ballot papers. After the count, ballot papers and other documents used in an election shall be sealed for 6 months. To ensure secrecy of votes, these documents will be destroyed thereafter.

When Will New PAP Cabinet Be Announced?

Based on GE2020 and GE2015, then Prime Minister Lee Hsein Loong announced the new Cabinet within about 2 weeks after Polling Day. We could perhaps expect a similar timeline for GE2025.

Post General Elections, we might expect some rotations and renewals. Looking back to GE2020, then PM Lee Hsein Loong announced 6 new helms at a ministry, as well as other promotions.

In GE2020: 

– Lawrence Wong became Minister for Education (from being Minister for National Development). 

– Desmond Lee became Minister for National Development (from being Minister for Social and Family Development).

– Ong Ye Kung became Minister for Transport (from being Minister for Education).

– Ms Grace Fu became Minister for Sustainability and Environment (from being Minister for Culture, Community and Youth).

– Masagos Zulkifli became Minister for Social and Family Development (from being Minister for Environment and Water Resources – which was renamed to Ministry of Sustainability and Environment)

– Heng Swee Keat, on top of being Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, also took on the role as Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies.

While we can maybe expect some rotations this time around, there will be at least 3 appointments to helm new portfolios – with the retirement of Mr Heng Swee Keat (DPM and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies), Mr Teo Chee Hean (Coordinating Minister for National Security) and Mr Ng Eng Hen (Minister for Defence).

Another point to note is that Ng Chee Meng will return to Parliament after a narrow victory in Jalan Kayu SMC. He was a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office prior to losing his seat in the GE2020 in Sengkang GRC. So, he may be in the consideration as an office holder.

For reference, the current Cabinet comprises:

Source: Singapore Parliament

When Will Parliament Resume?

In GE2020, the Opening of the First Session of Parliament sitting was on 24 August 2020 – roughly 1.5 months after the 10 July Polling day. Post-GE2015, the Opening of the First Session of Parliament was on 15 January 2016 – about 4 months after Polling Day on 11 September 2015. 

This time round, we could perhaps look at a similar timeline for the Opening of the First Session of Fifteenth Parliament of Singapore.

Read Also: 3 Reasons Why We Think GE2025 Final Results Is Good For Singapore’s Economy