Candidate close to establishment wins Singapore presidential race

A former member of Singapore's ruling party on Saturday won the race to become the city-state's president, in a election seen as a barometer of public sentiment on the government's performance amid economic challenges and a streak of high-profile scandals. Former deputy prime minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 66, won 70.4% of votes, the elections department said, to become Singapore's head of state.

A former member of Singapore's ruling party on Saturday won the race to become the city-state's president, in a election seen as a barometer of public sentiment on the government's performance amid economic challenges and a streak of high-profile scandals.

Former deputy prime minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 66, won 70.4% of votes, the elections department said, to become Singapore's head of state. The country is a parliamentary democracy and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is the head of government. Tharman has been a popular politician, having scored several landslide victories in parliamentary elections, including the biggest margin of votes in the general election in 2020 as a PAP member.

He resigned from the party earlier this year and emphasised his independence during his campaign for the presidency.