1. Introduction
Singapore’s political landscape is constantly evolving, with new parties emerging and existing parties adapting to changing circumstances. As of 2023, there are 10 registered political parties in Singapore. These parties range from the long-established People’s Action Party (PAP) to newer parties like the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP).
2. The People’s Action Party (PAP)
The PAP is the dominant political party in Singapore, having won every general election since independence in 1965. The party is led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and has a strong base of support among the Chinese-speaking majority.
3. The Workers’ Party (WP)
The WP is the main opposition party in Singapore. The party is led by Pritam Singh and has a strong base of support among the English-speaking minority. The WP is the only opposition party to have won a Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in a general election, which it did in 2011 and 2015.
4. The Progress Singapore Party (PSP)
The PSP is a new political party that was formed in 2019. The party is led by Tan Cheng Bock and has a moderate, pro-business platform. The PSP contested in the 2020 general election and won one seat in Parliament.
5. The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP)
The SDP is another new political party that was formed in 1992. The party is led by Chee Soon Juan and has a social democratic platform. The SDP has contested in every general election since its formation but has never won a seat in Parliament.
6. The National Solidarity Party (NSP)
The NSP is a small political party that was formed in 2011. The party is led by Tan Jee Say and has a right-wing, populist platform. The NSP has contested in every general election since its formation but has never won a seat in Parliament.
7. The Reform Party (RP)
The RP is a small political party that was formed in 2008. The party is led by Kenneth Jeyaretnam and has a liberal, pro-reform platform. The RP has contested in every general election since its formation but has never won a seat in Parliament.
8. The Singapore People’s Party (SPP)
The SPP is a small political party that was formed in 1950. The party is led by Steve Chia and has a social democratic platform. The SPP has contested in every general election since its formation but has never won a seat in Parliament.
9. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)
The DPP is a small political party that was formed in 2018. The party is led by Ravi Philemon and has a social democratic platform. The DPP has contested in the 2020 general election but did not win any seats in Parliament.
10. The People’s Power Party (PPP)
The PPP is a small political party that was formed in 2020. The party is led by Ang Yong Guan and has a left-wing, pro-labor platform. The PPP has not contested in any general election yet.
Conclusion
The political landscape in Singapore is constantly evolving, with new parties emerging and existing parties adapting to changing circumstances. However, the PAP has remained the dominant political party since independence in 1965. The WP is the main opposition party, and the PSP, SDP, NSP, RP, SPP, DPP, and PPP are smaller parties that are trying to gain a foothold in the political system.
