Singapore's ruling party wins elections, opposition Workers' Party wins record 10 seats

Singapore, July 11 : Singapore's ruling People's Action Party (PAP) secured victory in the Friday's general election, which also saw opposition Workers' Party (WP) winning record 10 seats.
PAP has formed the next government with final results showing it won almost 90 per cent of 93 seats contested, reported South China Morning Post.
As per the report, while the ruling party which is in power since 1959 won 15 multi-seat constituencies and 13 single-seat wards, with a vote share of 61.24 per cent of all votes cast, the opposition Workers' Party (WP) won a record 10 seats, retaining the five-seat Aljunied constituency.
"Well, it's not as strong a mandate as I hoped for, but it's a good mandate, I think the popular vote, 61 per cent is very respectable," Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was quoted as saying.
According to a report in The Straits Times, the PAP won 61.24 per cent of the votes, an 8.7-point swing from its 69.9 per cent share in the 2015 polls.
The polls in Singapore had been extended by two hours as polling stations were witnessing long lines as people are taking precautions o to ensure social distancing amid Covid-19 pandemic.
As the polls were held amid the Covid-19 pandemic, mask-wearing citizens were seen casting their ballots under strict precautions to ensure social distancing.
The number of polling stations had been increased from 880 to 1,100 from the last elections in order to reduce overcrowding.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had called the snap vote in June, soon after the easing of a two-month partial lockdown, citing the need to urgently refresh the PAP's mandate during what he termed a "crisis of a generation". The government's term was due to end in January.