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Republic of Singapore · Government

One chamber,
two keys.

Singapore is a parliamentary republic with an elected President. Voters choose 97 MPs and, every six years, a head of state who holds a second key to the nation's past reserves and to key public appointments. Below the national level nothing is elected: there are no states, provinces or city councils, only appointed district councils and town councils run by the MPs.

Who chooses whom

Top to root.

Only two things are on a Singapore ballot: the President and the Members of Parliament. Every other body is appointed, or sits by virtue of an MP's seat. Choose a body to see how it is chosen, for how long and what it may do.

Top to root · choose a body

Elected Appointed Mixed By virtue of office

Electors

Head of state

Government & Parliament

Courts & guardians

Running elections

Below the national level

Elected · Constitution Part 5 (Arts. 17–22P)

President

Presiden 总统 அதிபர்

How chosen
Direct popular vote, first past the post, among candidates the Presidential Elections Committee certifies as eligible; unopposed if only one is (1999, 2005, 2017). Reserved for one community when the Art. 19B rule triggers.
Term
Six years (Art. 20(1)); no term limit.
Powers
  • Custodial: second key over past reserves; veto over key public-service appointments; CPIB, ISA and harmony-order safeguards.
  • Must consult the Council of Presidential Advisers on fiscal and appointment powers.
  • Otherwise acts on Cabinet advice (formal head of state).
Links
  • elected by Electors — Direct vote every six years (Art. 17A, 20).
  • advised by Council of Presidential Advisers — Must be consulted on the reserves and key appointments (Part 5A).
  • appoints Prime Minister and Cabinet — Appoints as PM the MP likely to command a majority; ministers on the PM's advice (Art. 25).
  • appoints Supreme Court and the courts — Judges, in his discretion concurring with the PM's advice (Art. 95).
  • appoints Attorney-General — In his discretion concurring with the PM's advice (Art. 35).
  • appoints Public Service Commission — Chairman and members, in his discretion (Art. 105).
  • appoints Auditor-General — On the PM's advice, subject to the President's veto (Art. 22, 148F).
  • appoints Presidential Council for Minority Rights — On the Cabinet's advice; the Chief Justice chairs it.
  • checks Parliament — Assents to bills; may withhold assent to budgets drawing on past reserves (Art. 148A) and to bills curtailing his discretion (Art. 22H).
  • Tharman Shanmugaratnam · since 14 September 2023 · 9th President; elected on 1 September 2023 with 70.41% (1,749,261 votes), turnout 93.55%.

Sources: sso.agc.gov.sg ↗ · istana.gov.sg ↗

I

Constitution Part 5 · Arts. 17–22P

The President.

Head of state, elected directly since 1993 for six years. Mostly bound by the Cabinet's advice, but with powers of his own over the reserves and the guardians of the state.

The second key

  • Second key over the past reserves: the President may veto a budget or transaction that would draw on reserves not accumulated by the government of the day (Arts. 148A, 148I).
  • Veto over key appointments, among them the Chief Justice and judges, the Attorney-General, the Chief of Defence Force and service chiefs, the Commissioner of Police, the Director of the CPIB, the Auditor-General and the members of the Public Service Commission (Art. 22).
  • Concurrence for CPIB investigations: the Director may investigate with the President's consent even if the Prime Minister refuses (Art. 22G).
  • Detentions under the Internal Security Act, where the advisory board recommends release (Art. 151), and restraining orders under the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act and the Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act 2025 (Art. 22I).

Otherwise the President acts on the advice of the Cabinet: appoints the Prime Minister and, on the Prime Minister's advice, the ministers; summons, prorogues and dissolves Parliament; assents to bills.

Council of Presidential Advisers

8 members, 2 alternates · Arts. 37A–37M (Part 5A); override, Art. 37IF

The President appoints three members in his discretion; the Prime Minister nominates three, the Chief Justice one and the Chairman of the Public Service Commission one. One alternate is the President's choice, the other the Prime Minister's after consulting the Chief Justice and the PSC Chairman. Six-year staggered terms.

The President must consult the Council before using his fiscal and appointment powers. If he vetoes against its recommendation, Parliament may override him by a resolution of at least two-thirds of all MPs excluding Nominated MPs.

Chairman: Tan Chong Meng, since 1 June 2026.

II

Arts. 23–37 · collectively responsible to Parliament

Prime Minister & Cabinet.

The President appoints as Prime Minister the MP most likely to command a majority, and the other ministers on his advice. Every minister must be an MP. The People's Action Party has formed every government since 1959.

  • Lawrence Wong Prime Minister and Minister for Finance
  • Lee Hsien Loong Senior Minister
  • Gan Kim Yong Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Trade)
  • K Shanmugam Senior Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs
  • Chan Chun Sing Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence
  • Ong Ye Kung Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health
  • Vivian Balakrishnan Minister for Foreign Affairs
  • Grace Fu Hai Yien Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations
  • Masagos Zulkifli Bin Masagos Mohamad Minister for Social and Family Development
  • Josephine Teo Minister for Digital Development and Information
  • Desmond Lee Minister for Education
  • Indranee Rajah Minister, Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for National Development
  • Edwin Tong Chun Fai Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs
  • Tan See Leng Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry)
  • Chee Hong Tat Minister for National Development
  • Ng Chee Meng Minister, Prime Minister's Office
  • Jeffrey Siow Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance
  • David Neo Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Education
  • Sim Ann Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Second Minister for Home Affairs
  • Zaqy Mohamad Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (acting, not in Cabinet)
  • Jasmin Lau Acting Minister for Manpower (acting, not in Cabinet)

19 Cabinet ministers and 2 acting ministers, as listed by the Prime Minister's Office on 5 November 2026.

III

Part 6 · Arts. 38–67

Parliament.

One chamber of 97 elected seats in 33 constituencies, topped up with opposition Non-Constituency MPs and appointed Nominated MPs.

The 15th Parliament · 5 November 2026

108 seats, 96 elected seated

  • PAP · elected 86
  • Vacant (Marine Parade–Braddell Heights) 1
  • WP · elected 10
  • WP · Non-Constituency MPs 2
  • Nominated MPs (non-partisan) 9

Marine Parade–Braddell Heights GRC has had one seat vacant since Faishal Ibrahim resigned on 20 July 2026; a GRC seat left vacant does not by itself force a by-election.

Elected MPs · 97

Plurality voting in 15 single-member constituencies and 18 group constituencies (8 of four, 10 of five) whose teams must include a Malay or an Indian/other-minority candidate. How GRCs work →

Non-Constituency MPs · up to 12

If fewer than 12 opposition MPs are elected, the best-placed losing opposition candidates are offered seats to make up the number (Art. 39(1)(b)). Since 2016 they vote on everything. In 2025: Andre Low and Eileen Chong (Workers' Party).

Nominated MPs · up to 9

Non-partisan members appointed by the President for two and a half years on the nomination of a Special Select Committee chaired by the Speaker (Art. 39(1)(c), Fourth Schedule). They may not vote on constitutional amendments, budgets, money bills or no-confidence motions (Art. 39(2)).

Speaker · since 2 August 2023

Seah Kian Peng

Re-elected Speaker when the 15th Parliament opened on 5 September 2025. Deputy Speakers: Christopher de Souza and Xie Yao Quan. Leader of the House: Indranee Rajah.

Leader of the Opposition · vacant

Vacant since 15 January 2026. Pritam Singh (Workers' Party) held the post from 2020, when it was first formally designated; Parliament found him unsuitable after his conviction (motion of 14 January 2026), the Prime Minister ended the designation, and the Workers' Party declined to nominate a successor.

Term and dissolution

Parliament first sat on 5 September 2025 and stands dissolved five years later, on 5 September 2030, unless the President dissolves it sooner on the Prime Minister's advice (Art. 65(3)–(4)). The President need not follow that advice unless the Prime Minister commands a majority, and may refuse a dissolution in his discretion (Art. 21(2)(b)). A general election must follow within three months (Art. 66).

Arts. 58, 78, 21, 22H, 148A, 37IF

From bill to law.

Three readings, a check by the Presidential Council for Minority Rights, then the President's assent. The President cannot veto ordinary laws; he can refuse a budget that would spend past reserves, or a bill that curbs his own discretion.

How a bill becomes law · try a path

  1. passes

    First reading

    A minister or any MP · Art. 59; Standing Orders

    The bill is introduced and printed; no debate.

  2. passes

    Second reading

    All MPs · Art. 57

    Debate on the principle; a simple majority of those voting.

  3. passes

    Committee stage

    Committee of the whole Parliament, or a select committee · Standing Orders

    Clause-by-clause scrutiny and amendments.

  4. passes

    Third reading

    All MPs · Art. 57

    Passed as amended.

  5. passes

    Presidential Council for Minority Rights

    Chaired by the Chief Justice · Art. 78

    Reports within 30 days whether any provision disadvantages a racial or religious community; silence counts as no objection.

  6. passes

    President's assent

    The President · Art. 21(1), 58

    Assents on the Cabinet's advice; he has no veto over ordinary legislation or constitutional amendments.

  7. passes

    Law

    Government Gazette · Art. 58(2)

    In force on publication in the Gazette or on the date the Act appoints.

Becomes law.

Count of 98: the 96 elected MPs seated on 5 November 2026 and 2 Non-Constituency MPs; the 9 Nominated MPs are left out of every two-thirds rule and may not vote on amendments, budgets or no-confidence motions (Art. 39(2)).

Changing the Constitution · Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (1965), Articles 5–8

  1. Parliament, second and third readings — Two-thirds of all MPs, excluding Nominated MPs (elected MPs and NCMPs count). Art. 5(2). Other bills need only a simple majority of those voting.
  2. Electors, for Part III only — Two-thirds of the votes cast at a national referendum. Arts. 6 and 8: surrendering sovereignty or control of the armed forces or police, or amending Part III, needs a referendum.
  3. President — Assents to the bill.

Nothing is unamendable. The PAP has held more than two-thirds of the seats in every Parliament since independence, so amendments have not needed opposition votes. Article 5(2A), which would also put the elected presidency's provisions to a referendum if the President so required, has never been brought into force.

IV

Constitution Part 8 (Arts. 93–101); Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969

The courts.

The Chief Justice and Supreme Court judges are appointed by the President, acting in his discretion in concurrence with the Prime Minister's advice (the Prime Minister consulting the Chief Justice for other judges) (Art. 95). The Supreme Court is the Court of Appeal and the High Court; since 2 January 2021 the High Court has a General Division (with the Singapore International Commercial Court) and an Appellate Division. Below: the State Courts and the Family Justice Courts.

  1. Court of Appeal

    The final court of appeal, headed by the Chief Justice with the Justices of the Court of Appeal.

  2. High Court · Appellate Division

    Created on 2 January 2021 to hear appeals from the General Division, below the Court of Appeal.

  3. High Court · General Division

    Serious criminal and large civil cases, judicial review and election petitions. The Singapore International Commercial Court sits within it.

  4. State Courts

    Outside the Supreme Court: most criminal and civil cases begin in the State Courts.

  5. Family Justice Courts

    Family, divorce and youth cases, in a court system of their own.

Chief Justice · since 6 November 2012

Sundaresh Menon

Retires on 26 February 2027; Justice Sushil Nair is to be the 5th Chief Justice.

Term and powers

Judges serve to 65, extendable; judicial commissioners and senior judges for fixed terms (Art. 98).

  • Judicial review, including of laws against the Constitution.
  • The President may refer a constitutional question to a tribunal of at least three Supreme Court judges for an advisory opinion (Art. 100).
  • Election petitions are heard by the High Court.

Arts. 95, 98 and 100 confirmed by title only (SSO table of contents).

V

Arts. 35, 105, 148F

The guardians.

Offices the President must approve: he can veto an appointment the government proposes, the core of the “second key” over the public service.

Attorney-General

Lucien Wong . Reappointed for a term from 14 January 2026 to 13 January 2029.

Chosen
Appointed by the President, acting in his discretion in concurrence with the Prime Minister's advice (Art. 35); the government's legal adviser and the Public Prosecutor.
Term
To age 60, or for a fixed term.
Powers
Legal adviser to the government; sole discretion over prosecutions.

Auditor-General

Ng Wai Choong , since 8 February 2025

Chosen
Appointed by the President on the Prime Minister's advice, subject to the President's veto (Arts. 22, 148F).
Term
Six years, renewable.
Powers
Audits government ministries, organs of state and statutory boards; reports to Parliament.

Not confirmed from the primary text: Six-year term and Art. 148F wording not re-read on SSO.

Public Service Commission

Lee Tzu Yang (Chairman) , since 1 August 2018

Chosen
Chairman and members appointed by the President, acting in his discretion (Art. 105).
Term
Five years, renewable.
Powers
Appointments, promotions and discipline in the civil service; government scholarships.

Not confirmed from the primary text: Five-year term from secondary sources.

Under the Prime Minister's Office

Who runs
the election.

There is no independent electoral commission. Elections are run by the Elections Department, a department of the Prime Minister's Office, and the boundaries are drawn by a committee of civil servants the Prime Minister convenes.

Elections Department

Jabatan Pilihan Raya · 选举局 · தேர்தல் துறை

A department of the Prime Minister's Office, staffed by civil servants. It prepares the registers of electors and runs parliamentary and presidential elections. The Returning Officer, who conducts the election and declares the results, is appointed by the Prime Minister: Han Kok Juan (Director-General of the Civil Aviation Authority) since 1 April 2024.

Registers of electors; polling and counting; election finance returns; overseas voting.

Electoral Boundaries Review Committee

Dissolves after reporting. GE2025 report received 7 March and published as a White Paper on 11 March 2025.

Convened by the Prime Minister before each general election and made up of senior civil servants. For GE2025 (convened 22 January 2025): Tan Kee Yong, Secretary to the Prime Minister (chair); the chief executives of HDB and the Singapore Land Authority; the Chief Statistician; the head of ELD as secretary. It is not provided for in the Constitution; its terms of reference (the number of SMCs, the average GRC size) come from the Prime Minister, and the government accepts or amends its report.

Recommends the electoral divisions and the number of MPs in each; the Prime Minister then gazettes the divisions.

The rules

Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 · Presidential Elections Act 1991

Voting is compulsory; non-voters are struck off the register. No election surveys may be published from the writ to the close of polls, there are no exit polls, and the eve of polling is a cooling-off day. How to vote →

No states · no provinces · no municipalities

Below the
nation.

Singapore is a single city-state with no elected local government. Three layers sit below the national one, and none is chosen by local voters.

5 Community Development Councils

Singapore has no states, provinces or counties. Five districts (Central Singapore, North East, North West, South East, South West) each have a Community Development Council, chaired by a Mayor. Chairs and members are appointed by the People's Association's Board of Management, which may designate a chair as Mayor; every Mayor is a PAP MP, usually also an office-holder.

Local assistance schemes, CDC vouchers, job and community programmes; no taxing or law-making power. At the Board's pleasure; mayors are typically reappointed after each general election.

  • Denise Phua (Central Singapore), since 27 May 2014
  • Baey Yam Keng (North East), since 23 May 2025
  • Alex Yam (North West), since 27 Jul 2020
  • Dinesh Vasu Dash (South East), since 23 May 2025
  • Low Yen Ling (South West; chairman of the Mayors' Committee), since 27 May 2014
19 Town councils

Nineteen town councils since 30 May 2025, declared by the Minister for National Development under the Town Councils Act after each general election (Town Councils (Declaration) Order 2025). Each covers one to three constituencies; the elected MPs for the area are members, one of them chairs it, and the chair appoints other residents as members. So the party that wins a ward runs its estates: the Workers' Party runs Aljunied–Hougang and Sengkang Town Councils.

Manage and maintain the common property of HDB estates (lifts, corridors, lighting, cleaning). Set and collect service and conservancy charges (Town Councils Act s.53). Term: until the next declaration after a general election.

1 People's Association

A statutory board under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, chaired by the Prime Minister (Lawrence Wong, 2025–2027). It runs community centres and the Citizens' Consultative Committees and appoints a grassroots adviser for each constituency; in wards held by the opposition the adviser is a PAP figure, as the PA does not appoint opposition MPs.

Community clubs, residents' networks, grassroots funding; no statutory local-government power.

The last local election · December 1957

Singapore elects no local government. Its last municipal vote was the City Council election of December 1957, won by the PAP (Ong Eng Guan became Mayor). In April 1959 Ong and 13 PAP councillors resigned; after the PAP government took office in June 1959 the Ministry of National Development took over the City Council's duties and powers, and the City Council and Rural Board functions were folded into central ministries (utilities went to the Public Utilities Board in 1963).

Not confirmed: The name of the 1959 enabling ordinance and the dates of the first municipal elections (Municipal Commission, before city status in 1951).

Photo credits · 29 photos Tharman Shanmugaratnam — Mohd Fyrol Anwar Aziz Marican, Lim Sin Thai, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gan Kim Yong — Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, CC BY 4.0 · K Shanmugam — Cancillería Ecuador from Ecuador, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ong Ye Kung — G20 Argentina, CC BY 2.0 · Vivian Balakrishnan — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)/Sarah Friend, CC BY 4.0 · Grace Fu Hai Yien — Lukasz Kobus / European Union, CC BY 4.0 · Masagos Zulkifli Bin Masagos Mohamad — ZKang123, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Josephine Teo — Bundesministerium für Europa, Integration und Äußeres, CC BY 2.0 · Desmond Lee — Sgconlaw ., CC BY-SA 4.0 · Indranee Rajah — Smuconlaw ., CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edwin Tong Chun Fai — 法務省, CC BY 4.0 · Tan See Leng — The Daily Ketchup, CC BY 4.0 · Chee Hong Tat — S5A-0043, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ng Chee Meng — D. Myles Cullen, United States Department of Defense ., CC BY 2.0 · Jeffrey Siow — International Maritime Organization, CC BY 4.0 · David Neo — ZKang123, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sim Ann — Пресс-служба Президента России, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Seah Kian Peng — Robertsky, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Denise Phua — People’s Action Party of Singapore, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Baey Yam Keng — chuwasg ., CC BY-SA 2.0 · Alex Yam — People’s Action Party of Singapore, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dinesh Vasu Dash — Jnzl's Photos, CC BY 2.0 · Low Yen Ling — S5A-0043, CC BY 4.0 · Sundaresh Menon — Smuconlaw ., CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lucien Wong — Attorney General's Office, OGL 3 . Others public domain. Via Wikimedia Commons.