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Fears of global instability drive Singapore voters into ruling party’s arms
Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has won by a landslide in an election dominated by concerns over the cost of living and the country’s future economic stability.
Led by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his first election since he became party leader last year, the PAP clinched 65.6% of the vote and an overwhelming majority of the 97 seats in parliament.
Singaporeans went to the polls on Saturday worrying about inflation, wage stagnation and job prospects.
The result will be widely seen as a flight to safety to the PAP amid fears of global turbulence.
“Singapore feels particularly vulnerable given its economy’s size and exposure to international forces… Also we are notoriously risk-averse voters,” said Ian Chong, an associate professor in political science at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
The main opposition, the centre-left Workers’ Party (WP), failed to capture more seats but continued to hold on to its 10 seats in parliament.
The centre-right PAP has governed Singapore continuously since 1959, making it one of the longest-ruling political parties in the world.
It has enjoyed strong support from Singaporeans, particularly from older generations that have seen the country flourish under PAP rule.
But while elections have been free from fraud and irregularities, critics also say the party maintains an unfair advantage through gerrymandering and a tightly controlled media.
In the last three polls prior to Saturday’s result, the PAP saw two of its lowest-ever vote shares, while the WP made increasing inroads in parliament.
The PAP won a reduced majority in the 2020 election, in what was seen as a referendum on their handling of the Covid outbreak.
But Saturday’s result saw the PAP return to form, as voters gave Wong a strong mandate.
In a televised address early on Sunday, he thanked voters and said the results “will put Singapore in a better position to face this turbulent world”.
“Many are watching the election closely, whether it’s international media, investors or foreign governments, they would have taken note of tonight’s results,” he said.
“It’s a clear signal of trust, stability and confidence in your government. Singaporeans, too, can draw strength from this and look ahead to our future.”
While its open and globalised economy remains fairly buoyant, Singapore saw inflation surge in the last few years.
The government has attributed this to external factors such as the Ukraine and Gaza wars and supply chain disruptions. Critics however say a controversial goods and services tax hike exacerbated it.
With the US-China trade war under way and a 10% US tariff looming, authorities and experts have warned of shocks to the economy and possibly a technical recession.
Against this backdrop, the PAP campaigned on a message of stability.
Wong repeatedly promised that his team would “steer Singapore through the storm”, while warning that if more opposition MPs were elected, he would lose capable ministers at a time when good governance was most needed.
It was a message that resounded with many voters. One PAP supporter, a start-up owner who only wanted to be known as Amanda, told the BBC that her business has been affected with clients pausing some projects due to the economic climate. “The headwinds are not great, there’s a lot of uncertainty… I want a party with experience running the government,” she said.
Though the PAP saw a series of scandals in recent years, including one involving a cabinet minister. this was hardly a talking point during the election period. Analysts said it was further from people’s minds given more immediate concerns about the economy.
Some see the result as a sign of confidence in Wong, who led Singapore’s Covid taskforce and became a familiar face as he regularly addressed the public during the pandemic.
“He’s shown that he is capable, with the Covid taskforce giving him credence. He was the guiding hand on that rudder… and he projects that stability for future global financial uncertainties,” said Rebecca Tan, a political science lecturer with NUS.
Wong is the first PAP prime minister to have improved the party’s vote share in his first election. Previous PMs saw dips in the polls in what analysts used to call the “new PM” effect”, or a reflection of voters’ uncertainty in a new leader.
The PAP’s strong result was also partly due to a fragmented opposition, with 10 parties going up against them. With few exceptions, most performed poorly.
Teo Kay Key, a research fellow at the think tank Institute of Policy Studies, said that despite recent elections showing there was a desire for political diversity, the latest result “shows that people are happy with the number of opposition MPs” for now.
But, she added, Singaporeans also “seem to be more selective” now when it comes to casting votes for the opposition, pointing to the WP’s performance.
The WP had campaigned on a platform of lowering the cost of living and strengthening the safety net.
While it failed to win more seats, it also saw increased vote shares in the constituencies it retained and close fights with the PAP in others, cementing its status as the country’s strongest opposition party.
It turned in a robust performance despite recent controversial cases involving a former Workers’ Party MP and WP leader Pritam Singh, who were both found guilty of lying to parliament. Many in the WP’s support base believe the case, against Singh especially, was politically motivated.
Addressing supporters shortly after the results for his constituency were declared, Singh acknowledged that “it was always going to be a difficult election”.
But he added: “The slate is wiped clean, we start work again tomorrow, and we go again.”
[BBC]
Torrential rains have killed more than 100 people across Southern Africa, forcing mass evacuations and rescue operations as authorities warn that more destructive weather may still be to come.
Weeks of heavy rainfall have battered South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, overwhelming rivers and infrastructure and leaving entire communities cut off. Weather services across the region have issued further alerts, raising fears of additional flooding.
In South Africa, officials said on Friday that flooding in the northern provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga had killed at least 30 people.
Army helicopters have been deployed to rescue residents trapped on rooftops and in trees as swollen rivers swept through towns and villages. Security personnel were also evacuated from a border checkpoint with Zimbabwe after floodwaters surrounded the area.
President Cyril Ramaphosa toured affected parts of Limpopo on Thursday, saying the province had received about 400mm (16 inches) of rain in less than a week. In one district, he said, “there are 36 houses that have just been wiped away from the face of the earth.”
Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba said more than 1,000 homes had been damaged across the province. “It’s so terrible,” she said.
In neighbouring Zimbabwe, the government’s disaster management agency reported at least 70 deaths since the start of the year, with more than 1,000 homes destroyed, and schools, roads and bridges collapsing under the force of the floods.
Mozambique has been the hardest hit. Its disaster management authorities said 103 people had died during an unusually severe rainy season since late last year. The figure includes deaths caused by flooding, lightning strikes, infrastructure collapse and a cholera outbreak linked to contaminated water supplies.
More than 200,000 people have been affected nationwide, with thousands of homes damaged and tens of thousands facing evacuation, according to the World Food Programme. The agency warned that flooding has submerged more than 70,000 hectares (173,000 acres) of crops, deepening food shortages for small-scale farmers in a country already struggling with poverty and repeated cyclones.
The United States Famine Early Warning System said flooding was reported or expected in at least seven Southern African countries, possibly linked to the La Nina phenomenon, which often brings heavier rainfall to the region.
South Africa’s Kruger National Park has also been hit, with about 600 tourists and staff evacuated from flood-affected camps. Park authorities said no deaths or injuries had been reported, but large areas remain inaccessible after rivers burst their banks.
Southern Africa has endured a series of extreme weather events in recent years, from deadly cyclones to severe droughts, exposing the region’s vulnerability to climate-driven disasters and fragile infrastructure.
A 119-run partnership between MegLanning and Phoebe Litchfield set up a second successive win for UP Warriorz (UPW) against Mumbai Indians (MI) as they continued their bounceback after starting the season with a hat-trick of defeats.
Put in to bat, Lanning and Litchfield hit fifties before MI managed to restrict them to 187 for 8. However, a rejigged batting line-up faltered in the chase as the defending champions succumbed to their third defeat of the season in their last game in Navi Mumbai. UPW became just the second team to do the league double over MI in the WPL, after Delhi Capitals last year, also led by Lanning.
Nicola Carey, opening the bowling with Shabnim Ismail rested, continued her great form in WPL 2026 as she cleaned up Kiran Navgire for a golden duck with an inswinging yorker that beat the batter all ends up. But Lanning ensured a good powerplay for UPW.
After Litchfield picked up her first boundary courtesy an inside edge through backward square, Lanning got going with a pick-up flick off Carey that went all the way as 12 runs came off the third over. She then swept Nat Sciver-Brunt through square leg before picking up two more boundaries off Carey.
When Hayley Matthews was introduced in the sixth over, Litchfield first drove her through cover before Lanning hit back-to-back boundaries to take UPW to 56 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.
After a quiet eighth over bowled by Amelia Kerr, Litchfield was on 18 off 16 and needing to pick up the tempo. Next over, she square drove Amanjot Kaur for four before skipping down the track to loft her over long-off.
Lanning reached her half-century off 35 balls in the next over, hammering Kerr over long-off to get there. Litchfield, who Kerr had dismissed eight times in T20s, also lofted her over her head for a boundary as the two Australians started to pick up the pace. A quiet over followed, courtesy Sciver-Brunt, which also saw Triveni Vasisht drop Litchfield, but Litchfield and Lannning both picked up a boundary each off Sanskriti Gupta.
In a two-over period of frenzy that followed, UPW racked up 34 runs but lost both their set batters. Litchfield first just beat Carey running to her left at deep midwicket as she swept Amanjot for six and then brought up a 33-ball half-century with a cover drive. When Amanjot went short, Litchfield pulled her for another boundary through midwicket. She then chipped one to cover, where she was given another life, this time by Harmanpreet Kaur. Litchfield picked up another six off long-off to make it a 20-run over before a pick-up flick found deep backward square, where Sanskriti held on this time.
Lanning didn’t want to release any pressure and took on Matthews next over, putting away a couple of short balls for back-to-back fours. She swept the spinner for another boundary before picking out deep square leg to finish on 70 off 45.
After a period of 12 balls without a boundary after Lanning’s departure, Chloe Tryon launched a six over long-off. Tryon and Harleen Deol kept the boundaries coming as they picked up 23 runs off the next two overs.
But, MI’s star overseas allrounders then dampened the finish for UPW. First, Sciver-Brunt started the 19th over with back-to-back wickets. Tryon sliced a full toss to cover, where Harmanpreet made amends by holding on to the catch before Shweta Sehrawat was caught behind first ball. She got a thin edge that popped up off G Kamalini’s gloves but she did well to grab it in the second attempt.
Deol hit another boundary before missing a legbreak from Kerr in the final over to be out stumped. Kerr then also had Sophie Ecclestone stumped and Deepti Sharma caught behind to give away only two runs in the final over and restrict UPW to 187 for 8.
MI came into the game with the second worst average for the opening partnership and the worst run rate. On Saturday, they tried their fourth different combination of the season, with Sajeevan Sajana partnering Matthews. Matthews started well, with a three boundaries through the off side off Kranti Gaud and Shikha Pandey.
Sajana got into the action in the third over, pulling Gaud for six over midwicket before getting an outside edge for four. But, Gaud came back strong by trapping her in front to give UPW the first breakthrough.
Ecclestone then nearly had Matthews lbw, choosing not to review after the batter missed a sweep, even though it looked close. But it didn’t matter as Matthews chipped the next ball back to Ecclestone, who went on to bowl a wicket maiden.
Sciver-Brunt then got a couple of boundaries off Gaud and Harmanpreet was crafty in gliding one between backward point and short third off Ecclestone, but they only managed 38 runs in the first six, continuing their trend of slow starts.
Sciver-Brunt, who was looking in great touch, hit Pandey straight to Lanning at cover in the first over after the powerplay as MI’s job got harder. Then Deepti, who bowled a quiet first over, had Carey miscuing one down the ground and Deol took a good catch running back from mid-on.
Harmanpreet, who was struggling to get going, pulled Tryon for a six over midwicket but fell in the same over trying the same shot. Having lost half their side and needing to score at over 13 runs an over, it was effectively game over for MI.
Kerr and Amanjot tried to mount a comeback, with an 83-run stand that saw the latter hammer three sixes, but they could not keep up with the asking rate. Amanjot offered a return catch to Pandey in the penultimate over and MI ended up 22 runs short.
Brief scores:
UP Warriorz Women 187 for 8 in 20 overs (Meg Lanning 70, Phoebe Litchfield 61, Harlene Deol 25, Chloe Tryon 21; Nicola Carey 1-38, Amelia Kerr 3-28, Nat Sciver-Brunt 2-22, Hayley Maththews 1-40, Amanjot Kaur 1-38) beat Mumbai Indians Women 165 for 6 in 20 overs (Hayley Maththews 13, Sajeevan Sajana 10, Nat Sciver Brunt 15, Harmanpreet Kaur 18, Amelia Kerr 49*, Amanjot Kaur 41; Kranti Gaud 1-38, Shikha Pandey 2-30, Sophie Ecclestone 1-33, Deepti Sharma 1-35, Chloe Tryon 1-18) by 22 runs
[Cricinfo]
President Yoweri Museveni has been declared the winner of Thursday’s election extending his four decades in power by another five years.
He gained 72% of the vote, the election commission announced, against 25% for his closest challenger Bobi Wine, who has condemned what he described as “fake results”.
Wine has called on Ugandans to hold non-violent protests.
Museveni, 81, first came to power as a rebel leader in 1986 but since then has won seven elections.
The election process was marred by violence and Wine, a 43-year-old former pop star, says that at least 21 people have been killed.
The authorities have so far confirmed seven deaths.
Access to the internet has been cut in the country since Tuesday, making it hard to verify information.
The authorities say the blackout was necessary to prevent misinformation, fraud and the incitement of violence – a move condemned by the UN human rights office as “deeply worrying”.
Wine has demanded that the internet be restored.
[BBC]
Floods kill more than 100 across southern Africa as rains intensify
Lanning, Litchfield and Pandey help UP Warriorz do the double over Mumbai Indians
Ugandan leader to extend 40-year rule after being declared winner of contested poll
Iran supreme leader blames US for deadly protests
Trump names Tony Blair, Jared Kushner to Gaza ‘Board of Peace’
The Government is taking steps to regulate early childhood education to ensure quality education while enhancing the professionalism of preschool teachers. — PM
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