- Lawrence Wong, a US-trained economist, is set to become Singapore’s fourth prime minister, succeeding Lee Hsien Loong.
- Wong’s rise follows a carefully planned political succession aimed at ensuring continuity and stability in Singapore.
- Wong was chosen by the ruling People’s Action Party after Heng Swee Keat, his designated successor, stepped down.
Singapore Vice President Lawrence Wong will be sworn in as the country’s fourth prime minister on Wednesday, part of a carefully planned political succession designed to ensure the country’s continuity and stability. the asian financial center.
Wong, 51, a US-trained economist, succeeds Lee Hsien Loong, 72, who resigned after two decades at the helm of the group. Lee’s resignation marked the end of a family dynasty led by his father Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s charismatic first leader who transformed the colonial trading outpost into a wealthy, business-friendly country during his 31-year tenure .
Wong, a civil servant turned politician, rose to prominence by coordinating Singapore’s successful fight against COVID-19. But he wasn’t the first choice for the top job.
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Heng Swee Keat, former central bank chief and education minister, was the designated successor, but he withdrew his nomination in 2021. Wong was then chosen by the ruling People’s Action Party in 2022 to fill the position. empty and was quickly promoted to deputy prime minister.
Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong arrives at the third G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Gandhinagar, India, July 17, 2023. Singapore’s Deputy Chief Wong , is expected to be sworn in on May 15. 2024, as the country’s fourth Prime Minister under a carefully planned political succession designed to ensure continuity and stability in the Asian financial hub. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki, file)
“I will definitely strive to be a strong, kind and decisive leader. And I will do my best to build a Singapore where everyone can realize their full potential,” Wong said on social media earlier this month.
Wong’s rise to the top was meticulously engineered by the PAP – one of the world’s oldest political parties and known for its clean and efficient governance – and will not change the dynamics of this small nation of some 6 million people. ‘residents.
Wong retained the Cabinet and retained his Finance portfolio as he prepares for his first big test in a general election due by 2025 but expected to be called this year. Before taking office, he promoted Commerce Minister Gan Kim Yong as one of two vice prime ministers. The other deputy is Heng.
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Lee will remain senior minister, a path followed by all previous prime ministers.
Although election victory is assured, Wong needs to achieve a stronger victory after the PAP suffered a setback in the 2020 polls due to growing voter dissatisfaction with the government.
Under Lee’s rule, Singapore became one of the richest nations in the world, but it also became one of the most expensive cities to live in. The PAP has also been criticized for its strict government control and stance as a “government that knows best”, media censorship and use of repressive laws against dissidents.
Issues such as widening income disparities, increasingly unaffordable housing, overcrowding caused by immigration, and restrictions on free speech are often used as fodder by the opposition and have weakened the PAP’s hold on power.
“Singapore’s one-party dominance is weakening, but the challenge for the PAP leadership is to slow the process,” said Eugene Tan, a law professor at Singapore Management University.
Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asia policy expert, said Lee “will be remembered for leading Singapore quietly and successfully through the turbulent waters of the 2008-2009 financial crisis and COVID-19.” It has helped build resilience in Singapore. … (But) Singapore has become a more complex society, with more open demands, which makes the task of governing (for Wong) more difficult. »
Wong was born seven years after Singapore broke away from Malaysia and gained independence in 1965. His father was a migrant. from China and his mother was a teacher. Unlike many senior PAP leaders, he did not have a privileged background. Observers said this could help him better connect with the common citizen.
Wong won a scholarship to study in the United States, then earned a master’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan and another master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University. He spent years in public service, including as Lee’s principal private secretary before entering politics in 2011. He managed the portfolios of defence, education, communications, culture, the community and youth.
Like Lee, Wong is active on social media. Married with no children, he doesn’t reveal much about his private life but has given insight into his interests in music and dogs, and he is a fan of tennis star Roger Federer. He often posts videos of himself playing guitar.
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Wong launched a Forward Singapore plan to allow Singaporeans to have a say on how to develop a more balanced, vibrant and inclusive agenda for the next generation. Wong often speaks in a flat tone and may not appear charismatic, but he is widely considered a reliable and approachable leader.
“We can expect his leadership to be more consultative…and to emphasize the team concept in which his top lieutenants will be important,” said law professor Tan.
Tan said Wong’s immediate priorities will be to tackle issues such as the rising cost of living, housing affordability and job security. “Core issues remain vital even for a prosperous country, partly because of Singapore’s innate vulnerabilities,” he said.
In foreign policy, Tan said Wong had to navigate the “China-US power rivalry in which Southeast Asia has become the stage for proxy competition.” Singapore, like some of its neighbors, has remained neutral, but it may later be forced to choose sides on various issues, he said.
