SINGAPORE, April 15 — Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has called a general election, citing profound global shifts and growing instability as reasons for Singaporeans to choose a team to steer the country through uncertain times.

“The global conditions that enabled Singapore’s success over the past decades may no longer hold,” Wong said on his social media accounts on April 15, 2025 as reported in The Straits Times.

“That is why I have called this general election. At this critical juncture, Singaporeans should decide on the team to lead our nation and to chart our way forward together.”

His announcement follows his advice to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to dissolve Parliament and issue the Writ of Election.

Nomination Day will be on April 23, with polling day set for May 3.

This will be Wong’s first general election as prime minister and secretary-general of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), which he took over from Lee Hsien Loong in 2024.

Speaking at a press conference on April 12, Wong described the current geopolitical environment as a “gathering storm,” warning of a messy transition to a new global order.

“In such conditions, who you have in the cockpit matters,” he said.

He added that the PAP will present its case to the electorate and seek their support, noting that the party will introduce over 30 new candidates — the largest number in recent memory.

The election comes amid a worsening trade war between the United States and China.

The US, under President Donald Trump, imposed broad tariffs that include a 145 per cent rate on Chinese goods and a 10 per cent flat duty on imports from all countries, affecting Singapore since April 5.

China retaliated with a 125 per cent tariff on US goods, raising concerns over a possible global trade downturn.

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted the impact of these developments on Singapore, warning that the collapse of the global trading system could destabilise business models and lead to recessions.

“This time, something important is different,” he said, urging Singaporeans to understand what is at stake.

GE2025 will see 97 parliamentary seats contested across 33 constituencies, including 18 Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) and 15 Single Member Constituencies (SMCs).

In the 2020 election, held during the Covid-19 pandemic, the PAP won 83 out of 93 seats with 61.24 per cent of the vote.