Lawrence Wong is the new Prime Minister of Singapore
Last Updated on May 15, 2024 8:10 am
Lawrence Wong will take office as the new Prime Minister of Singapore on Wednesday. The Southeast Asian country is getting a new prime minister for the first time in 20 years.
Lee Hsien Loong has been the Prime Minister of Singapore for the past two decades. He will be replaced by 51-year-old Lawrence.
Since August 2004, Cien has been serving as the Prime Minister. He is the eldest son of Singapore’s founder and first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. The 72-year-old Tsien will step down from his post in a power transfer.
Lawrence will be the country’s fourth prime minister in Singapore’s 59-year history as an independent nation. Like his predecessors, he is also a member of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP). Lawrence is currently serving as Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister.
The news agency Reuters reported that Lawrence will keep the finance ministry to himself even if he takes over as prime minister. However, he will leave the post of Deputy Prime Minister. And even if Sien steps down as prime minister, he will remain a senior minister in the cabinet as per tradition.
Lawrence will become the second head of government in Singapore’s history to step outside of the country’s traditional Lee family. Before that, Goh Chok Tong was the only person from outside the Lee family to be the Prime Minister of Singapore from 1990 to 2004.
The last general election in Singapore was held in 2020. General elections are scheduled to be held in the country again in 2025.