He was appointed by the party two years ago to that position and will be the fourth prime minister since Singapore's independence. Lee had already announced a long time ago that he wanted to retire, but the pandemic changed plans. Until now, Wong has worked to implement new policies aimed primarily at an increasingly elderly population.
Singapore () – The Office of the Prime Minister of Singapore announced today that the current Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, will resign on May 15 and hand over to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is currently also Minister of Finance. After being sworn in as the new head of government at 8pm at the Istana, the seat of the Presidency of the Republic of Singapore, he will become the city-state's fourth prime minister.
In a Facebook post, Lee noted that “Lawrence and the 4G (fourth generation leadership team) have worked hard to earn the trust of the people, particularly during the pandemic.” “Through exercise Forward Singapore (a debate platform that was born to engage citizens) we work with many Singaporeans to update our social compact and develop the national agenda for the new generations,” he said.
In February 2022, Lee had expressed his intention to retire before turning 70, but the Covid pandemic forced him to change his plans. Lee came to power in 2004, following Goh Chok Tong, who held office from 1990. For the previous 35 years, from 1959 to 1990, the head of government was Lee Kuan Yew.
Wong had already been appointed future prime minister in April 2022, elected by members of the People's Action Party (PAP). In November 2023, at the PAP's biennial convention, Lee expressed the hope of handing over to Wong before the next general election, scheduled for November 2025.
Wong entered politics in 2011 and served as Minister of Education, Defense and National Development. In June 2022 he created Forward Singapore and published together with his team, the 4G, a report on the policies that should characterize the coming years, after having invited citizens to collaborate with the government. According to experts, the 4G team will go beyond the policies of its predecessors, introducing important changes, such as unemployment aid. Additionally, in February this year, Wong announced that a total of US$3.5 billion would be allocated over the next decade to help older Singaporeans stay active, access better healthcare and live independently. Likewise, infrastructure will be reinforced for people who travel regularly for work, paying special attention, also in this case, to the senior population. “Due to the aging of the population, the fiscal burden of the health system will increase. We must plan ahead and reserve sufficient resources to keep healthcare accessible to all,” Wong had previously said.
In Singapore, about one in four citizens will be aged 65 or older in 2030, up from about one in five today.
