SINGAPORE -- Polling has officially concluded in Singapore's general election, with voting stations closing at 8:00 pm local time (1200 GMT) on Saturday and results expected later Saturday or early Sunday.

A total of 209 candidates from 11 political parties and coalitions, along with two independents, contested 97 elected seats in the parliament. Five of these seats, located in the Marine Parade-Braddell Heights multi-member constituency, were uncontested and secured by the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) on Nomination Day, April 23.

This election marks the first time Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is leading the PAP into a general election, after succeeding Lee Hsien Loong in May 2024, following Lee's two-decade tenure. Since its independence in 1965, Singapore has been governed by the PAP, which has won every general election with more than 60 percent of the popular vote and has consistently maintained a strong parliamentary majority.

At stake has been its share of the vote. In the 2020 general election, the PAP received 61.24 percent of the popular vote, a decline from 69.86 percent in 2015.

The Workers' Party (WP), the only opposition party to win seats in the 2020 election, increased its representation from six seats in 2015 to ten in 2020. In the current election, the WP is fielding 26 candidates across eight constituencies, in a bid widely seen as an effort to expand its footprint in the eastern region.

During the nine-day campaign period that began on April 23, the PAP highlighted global uncertainties, particularly the effects of recent US tariffs on open economies like Singapore, and urged voters to back experienced leadership. Several seasoned ministers were among its candidates. Meanwhile, the WP campaigned for greater political diversity and questioned the notion that certain individuals are indispensable.

A survey conducted by research firm Blackbox between late March and early April, involving more than 1,500 Singaporean citizens and permanent residents, found that the cost of living remains the top concern across all demographic groups. Employment, wages, and housing affordability followed closely, with housing issues cited as particularly pressing among voters in their 30s.