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C ommo nwe a l t h memb e r c o u n t r i e s Government and politics Last elections: 7 May 2011 Next elections: 2016 Head of state: President Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam (2011–) Head of government: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong Ruling party: People’s Action Party Women MPs: 25% In an early general election in November 2001, the electorate gave the People’s Action Party (PAP) a decisive endorsement when it took 82 of the 84 elective seats with 73.7 per cent of the votes. The Workers’ Party (WP) and the four-party Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) each won one seat. In August 2004 Goh Chok Tong was succeeded by Lee Hsien Loong, son of Lee Kuan Yew and Deputy Prime Minister since 1990. The PAP was again returned with 82 seats in the May 2006 general election, receiving 66.6 per cent of the votes. The WP and SDA each won one seat. Opposition parties contested 47 seats and it was the first time that more than half the seats were contested. In the May 2011 general election the PAP won 81 seats and received 60.1 per cent of the votes. Opposition parties contested 82 seats and the WP took six. Two non-constituency seats were allocated to the WP and one to the Singapore People’s Party. Turnout was 93 per cent. In a hard-fought presidential contest in August 2011, former Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan – with 35.2 per cent of the votes – defeated his three rivals; Tan Cheng Bock secured 34.9 per cent of the votes, Tan Jee Say 25 per cent and Tan Kin Lian 4.9 per cent. Dr Tan succeeded retiring President S. R. Nathan on 1 September 2011. Local government There are no local government or local elections in Singapore. The community development councils, headed by a mayor, administer certain community and social services delegated by government ministries. Further information Government of Singapore: www.gov.sg Commonwealth Secretariat: www.thecommonwealth.org Commonwealth Governance: www.commonwealthgovernance.org Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2014/15 250 Governance institutions Auditor-General’s Office: www.ago.gov.sg Elections Department: www.elections.gov.sg Infocomm Development Authority: www.ida.gov.sg Ministry of Finance: www.mof.gov.sg Ministry of Law: www.mlaw.gov.sg Ministry of Trade and Industry: www.mti.gov.sg Monetary Authority of Singapore: www.mas.gov.sg Parliament of Singapore: www.parliament.gov.sg Prime Minister’s Office: www.pmo.gov.sg Singapore Exchange: www.sgx.com SPRING Singapore: www.spring.gov.sg Supreme Court: www.supcourt.gov.sg


CEP template 2012
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