Prime Minister of Singapore

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Prime Minister of
the Republic of Singapore
Incumbent
Lee Hsien Loong

since 12 August 2004
Government of Singapore
Cabinet of Singapore
Prime Minister's Office
StylePrime Minister (informal)
His Excellency (diplomatic)
ResidenceSri Temasek
AppointerPresident
Term length5 years; renewable
Inaugural holderLee Kuan Yew
Formation3 June 1959; 64 years ago (1959-06-03)
DeputyDeputy Prime Minister
SalaryS$2,200,000 annually
Websitewww.pmo.gov.sg

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the head of the government of the Republic of Singapore. The President of Singapore chooses as Prime Minister a Member of Parliament (MP) who, he thinks, will have the highest chance of being supported by a majority of MPs.[1]

The first time there was a Prime Minister was in 1959 and it was chosen by the Governor of Singapore and later the Yang di-Pertuan Negara (head of state), when Singapore could have the power to govern as the State of Singapore inside the British Empire. The title of Prime Minister did not change after Singapore merged with the Federation of Malaya, Sarawak and British North Borneo, while Singapore was a state in the Federation of Malaysia from 1963 to 1965, and after independence in 1965.

Lee Kuan Yew was the first prime minister of Singapore from 1959 to 1990 and retired on 26 November 1990. Goh Chok Tong took over Lee Kuan Yew, while Lee Kuan Yew was given the job of Senior Minister in the Prime Minister's Office. Goh Chok Tong retired on 12 August 2004 and was replaced by Lee Kuan Yew's son Lee Hsien Loong. Goh was given the job of Senior Minister, and the older Lee the job of Minister Mentor.

List of prime ministers of Singapore[change | change source]

No. Prime Minister Term of office Mandate support Constituency Political party
1 Lee Kuan Yew
李光耀
5 June 1959 — 28 November 1990
11499 days
1968 94.34%
1972 84.08%
1976 89.03%
1980 92.74%
1988 81.60%
Tanjong Pagar SMC
(1955–1991)
Tanjong Pagar GRC
(1991-)
People's Action Party
2 Goh Chok Tong
吴作栋(吳作棟)
28 November 1990 — 12 August 2004
5006 days
1991 61.0%
1992 72.9%
1997 65.0%
2001 75.3%
Marine Parade SMC
(1976-1988)
Marine Parade GRC
(1988-)
People's Action Party
3 Lee Hsien Loong
李显龙(李顯龍)
12 August 2004 — Incumbent
7150 days
2006 66.14%
2011 60.14%
2015 69.86%
2020 61.23%
Teck Ghee SMC
(1984-1991)
Ang Mo Kio GRC
(1991-)
People's Action Party

List of deputy prime ministers[change | change source]

The Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) is the second highest position and the second most senior Cabinet Minister in Singapore. The DPM will sometimes become the Acting Prime Minister when the Prime Minister is temporarily not in Singapore. Since the mid-1980s, Singapore has usually had two Deputy Prime Ministers at one time.

No. Deputy Prime Minister Term of office Political Party
1 Toh Chin Chye
杜进才(杜進才)
5 June 1959 — 2 August 1968
3346 days
People's Action Party
2 Goh Keng Swee
吴庆瑞(吳慶瑞)
1 March 1973 — 3 December 1984
4295 days
People's Action Party
3 S. Rajaratnam
சி. இராசரத்தினம்
1 June 1980 — 2 January 1985
1676 days
People's Action Party
4
(a)
Goh Chok Tong
吴作栋(吳作棟)
2 January 1985 — 28 November 1990
2156 days
People's Action Party
4
(b)
Ong Teng Cheong (1)
王鼎昌
2 January 1985 — 1 September 1993
3164 days
People's Action Party
5
(a)
Lee Hsien Loong
李显龙(李顯龍)
28 November 1990 — 12 August 2004
5006 days
People's Action Party
5
(b)
Tony Tan Keng Yam (1)
陈庆炎(陳慶炎)
1 August 1995 — 1 September 2005
3684 days
People's Action Party
6
(a)
S. Jayakumar
சி. ജയകുമാര്‍
12 August 2004 — 1 April 2009
1693 days
People's Action Party
6
(b)
Wong Kan Seng
黄根成(黃根成)
1 September 2005 — 21 May 2011
2088 days
People's Action Party
7
(a)
Teo Chee Hean
张志贤(張志賢)
1 April 2009 — 30 April 2019
3681 days
People's Action Party
7
(b)
Tharman Shanmugaratnam
தர்மன் சண்முகரத்தினம்
21 May 2011 — 30 April 2019
2901 days
People's Action Party
8
(a)
Heng Swee Keat
王瑞杰
1 May 2019 — Incumbent
1775 days
People's Action Party
8
(b)
Lawrence Wong
黄循财
13 June 2022 — Incumbent
636 days
People's Action Party

(1) Ong Teng Cheong and Tony Tan served under more than one Prime Minister during their time as Deputy Prime Minister.

Related pages[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

Other websites[change | change source]