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Singapore PM says succession to happen before next election

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Singapore" s="" Prime="" Minister="" Lee="" Hsien="" Loong="" speaks="" during="" a="" joint="" press="" conference="" at="" the="" or="" Presidential="" in="" October="" EPA-EFE="" HOW="" HWEE="" YOUNG="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/overseas/11/06/sg.jpg"/><figcaption>Singapore&#x27;s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong speaks during a joint press conference at the Istana, or Presidential Palace, in Singapore, 30 October 2023. <em>EPA-EFE/HOW HWEE YOUNG / POOL</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced Sunday he will hand over power to a younger generation of leaders before the 2025 general elections.</p><p>Lee, 71, had planned to step down by 2022, before his 70th birthday, and hand the reins to his deputy, Lawrence Wong.</p><p>But that was postponed as Lee said he had to lead Singapore through the coronavirus crisis.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/02/09/20/singapore-prime-minister-delivers-sensible-comforting-message-to-his-people-amidst-ncov-threat">Singapore Prime Minister delivers sensible, comforting message to his people amidst nCov threat</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/01/23/singapore-should-avoid-economic-contraction-pm">Singapore &#x27;should avoid economic contraction&#x27;: PM</a></li></ul><p>In a speech to members of his People&#x27;s Action Party (PAP) on Sunday, Lee said Wong and his team had &quot;earned their spurs&quot; during the pandemic and &quot;there is no reason to delay the political transition.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Therefore, I intend to hand over to DPM Lawrence before the next general election,&quot; Lee said.</p><p>&quot;After that, I will be at the new PM&#x27;s disposal. I will go wherever he thinks I can be useful. I will do my best to help him and his team to fight and win the next GE,&quot; he said.</p><p>Lee, who has been prime minister since 2004, did not say exactly when he would hand over to Wong, 50, the current finance minister.</p><p>&quot;If all goes well, I will hand over by the PAP&#x27;s 70th birthday next year,&quot; Lee said, referring to the party&#x27;s founding anniversary in November 2024.</p><p>If Wong takes over, it would be only the second time since Singapore&#x27;s independence in 1965 that the prime minister is not a member of the Lee family.</p><p>Lee Hsien Loong&#x27;s father, Lee Kuan Yew, was the country&#x27;s first prime minister.</p><p>A visibly emotional Lee told party members that it had been his &quot;great fortune and honour&quot; to serve the country for his entire adult life.</p><p>Lee said the party had been &quot;utterly transformed, shaped by our many trials and tribulations&quot;.</p><p>But he said it remained &quot;dedicated to Singapore&quot; and keeping the island &quot;safe and secure&quot;, which would not change under the next generation of leaders.</p><p>A series of rare scandals have rocked the ruling party recently.</p><p>The scandals, which officials admit have hurt the government&#x27;s reputation for incorruptibility, included the transport minister being probed for corruption and two ruling party legislators resigning over an affair.</p><div><strong>cla/amj/ssy</strong></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2802827" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced Sunday he will hand over power to a younger generation of leaders before the 2025 general elections.