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SG General Elections 2025: Key Manifestos by 5 Main Parties

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As Singapore rolls up its sleeves for the General Election (GE) 2025, political parties have unveiled their manifestos, offering voters a glimpse into their visions for the nation’s future.

From affordability and healthcare to housing and sustainability, the manifestos of the People’s Action Party (PAP), Workers’ Party (WP), Progress Singapore Party (PSP), Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), and Red Dot United (RDU) reflect distinct priorities and approaches.

This article provides a comprehensive breakdown of each party’s key proposals, highlighting their strengths, challenges, and overarching themes.

Whether you’re a first-time voter or a seasoned observer, this guide will help you navigate the promises shaping Singapore’s political landscape.

PAP must be prepared for a tough fight in the coming General Election, says PM Lee - TODAY

People’s Action Party (PAP): Continuity and Innovation

“Changed World, Fresh Team, New Resolve – Securing a Brighter Future for You.”

Unveiled by Secretary-General Lawrence Wong, this slogan frames the PAP’s manifesto as a roadmap for navigating global uncertainties with renewed leadership and determination.

The PAP manifesto emphasizes continuity while introducing innovative solutions to address emerging challenges. Key highlights include:

1. Economy & Jobs

  • PMET Support: Strengthening safeguards through the Workplace Fairness Act and nurturing Singaporean corporate leaders.
  • Technological Advancements: Accelerating AI adoption to maintain competitiveness in the global economy.

2. Healthcare

  • Preventive Care: Initiatives like Healthier SG and Age Well SG aim to empower citizens to stay healthy.
  • Infrastructure Expansion: Adding 13,600 beds and redeveloping hospitals by 2030 to meet growing demands.

3. Housing

  • Diverse Options: Introducing three-tier BTO flats (Standard, Plus, Prime) in choice locations like Kallang-Whampoa and Bayshore.
  • Rejuvenation Plans: Exploring the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) to rejuvenate HDB towns.

4. Sustainability

  • Green Spaces: Expanding parks, park connectors, and therapeutic gardens.
  • Net-Zero Goal: Committing to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Strengths: Comprehensive focus on long-term planning and infrastructure development.

Challenges: Critics argue that some proposals lack bold reforms to address immediate cost-of-living concerns.

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Workers’ Party (WP): Advocating for Affordability and Accountability

“Working for Singapore.”

Launched by WP chief Pritam Singh, this succinct slogan reinforces the party’s commitment to representing voices that risk being overlooked and proposing fresh policy ideas for Singaporeans

The WP positions itself as a champion of affordability and inclusive growth, with a strong emphasis on accountability. Key proposals include:

  1. Alleviate everyday costs & secure incomes

    – Set up a permanent Standing Parliamentary Committee on the Cost of Living

    – Introduce redundancy insurance (40% of salary for up to 6 months) and a $1,600 statutory minimum wage

    – Move to tiered pricing for electricity and water to lower bills for smaller consumers.

  2. Build skills & strengthen local employment

    – Tie Employment Pass renewals to demonstrable skills transfer to Singaporeans

    – Provide zero-interest SkillsFuture education loans alongside existing credits

    – Support SMEs through streamlined green-transition grants and an export-import bank

    – Offer CPF members the option to co-invest savings with GIC for higher returns.

  3. Enable flexible, lifelong work & retirement

    – Abolish the statutory retirement age and outlaw age discrimination under the Workplace Fairness Act

    – Enshrine formal Flexible Work Arrangement rights for all employees

    – Establish a non-profit National Transport Corporation to keep fares and commuting costs in check.

  4. Deepen democracy & institutional accountability

    – Lower the voting age to 18, abolish GRC/NCMP/NMP schemes, and revert to Single Member Constituencies

    – Create independent oversight bodies (e.g., Ombudsman, Parliamentary Budget Office) and enact a Freedom of Information Act

    – Strengthen anti-scam protections by mandating proactive fraud-detection and capping consumer liability at $500.00

Strengths: Bold ideas on affordability and governance reforms.

Challenges: Some proposals, such as abolishing GRCs, may face resistance from established frameworks.

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Progress Singapore Party (PSP): Tackling Immediate Concerns

“Progress for All.”

The PSP adopted this slogan to signal its focus on equitable economic growth and policy reforms benefiting every segment of society

The PSP focuses on addressing pressing issues like housing affordability, healthcare, and job security. Key highlights include:

1. Cost of Living

  • GST Rollback: Reducing GST back to 7% and exempting basic essentials.
  • Hawker Support: Fixing hawker stall rents at $500 or 3% of turnover.

2. Housing

  • Affordable Homes Scheme: Selling BTO flats at “user price” (construction cost + location premium), with land costs deferred until resale.
  • Millennial Apartments: Offering short-term rentals in CBD and mature estates for young professionals.

3. Jobs & Wages

  • Minimum Living Wage: Introducing a minimum living wage of $2,250/month.
  • EP Reforms: Raising the qualifying salary for Employment Passes to $10,000.

4. Social Safety Net

  • Simplified Schemes: Consolidating ~60 overlapping social support schemes into a few national programmes.
  • Mental Health: Increasing MediSave withdrawal limits for mental health treatments.

Strengths: Practical solutions for immediate concerns like housing and healthcare.

Challenges: Proposals like EP reforms may face pushback from businesses reliant on foreign talent.

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Singapore Democratic Party (SDP): Radical Reforms for Equity

“Thrive, Not Just Survive.”

Announced by Chee Soon Juan, the SDP’s slogan captures its ambition to alleviate everyday burdens—such as cost of living—and enable Singaporeans to lead fuller, worry-free live.

The SDP advocates for transformative changes to create a more equitable society. Key proposals include:

1. Economy

  • GST Reduction: Restoring the GST rate to 7% and exempting essentials.
  • GLC Divestment: Abolishing Temasek Holdings and demanding full transparency from GIC.

2. Healthcare

  • Single-Payer System: Replacing MediSave, MediShield, and CareShield with a unified national health insurance system.
  • Free Maternal Care: Funding maternal and paediatric services through taxes.

3. Housing

  • Non-Open Market Flats: Introducing affordable NOM flats with prices ranging from $90,000 for 2-room units to $270,000 for 5-room units
  • Priority Schemes: Implementing the Young Families Priority Scheme to reduce wait times.

4. Education

  • PSLE Abolition: Scrapping the PSLE and capping class sizes at 20 students.
  • Interest-Free Loans: Providing interest-free university loans repayable upon employment.

Strengths: Visionary proposals for systemic reforms in healthcare and housing.

Challenges: Radical measures like abolishing Temasek may face skepticism about feasibility.

GE2025: Red Dot United candidate Liyana Dhamirah files police report over online harassment - CNA

Red Dot United (RDU): Building a New Social Contract

“First-Class Citizens, Fairer Singapore.”

With this slogan, RDU positions its platform around a new social compact, promising all Singaporeans equal opportunities and stronger social safety nets.

RDU’s manifesto centers on five pillars — Housing, Equitable Healthcare, Assured Prosperity, Resilient Economy, and Transparency. Key highlights include:

1. Collective Prosperity

  • Shift from pure GDP targets to a wellbeing-focused economy
  • Back small/local businesses with fair procurement, prompt payments, reasonable rents
  • Protect green space, boost recycling, replace carbon tax with emission limits on big polluters

2. Citizens’ Dividend

  • Introduce an unconditional cash transfer as a universal safety net
  • Start with the most vulnerable, then expand to all Singaporeans
  • Helps people weather job scarcity, supports reskilling, and reduces poverty

3. Comprehensive Housing Reset

  • Extend SERS (redevelopment) to every HDB estate
  • Cap public-housing price growth at 3–5% per year
  • Build more rentals and a rent-to-own pathway, especially for low-income and single young adults
  • Restrict short-lease flats (<79 years) on the resale market to citizens who have served or lived here ≥10 years

4. Caring Healthcare

  • Make Medifund the backbone of universal coverage, with biggest subsidies for the bottom 40%
  • Broaden MediShield Life to include more outpatient and chronic/mental-health treatments
  • Reposition MediSave as supplementary, not primary, funding
  • Cap out-of-pocket costs and recalibrate subsidies so treatment never gets skipped

Strengths: A holistic approach emphasising dignity and inclusivity.

Challenges: Specific policy details are less developed compared to other parties.

Comparative Analysis: Key Takeaways

Aspect PAP WP PSP SDP RDU
Focus Areas Long-term planning, innovation, infrastructure Affordability, accountability, inclusion Immediate cost relief, housing, job security Systemic reforms, equity, transparency Holistic social contract, sustainability
Cost of Living Limited direct measures; tech-driven solutions GST alternatives, utilities reform GST rollback, hawker support GST reduction, GLC divestment Broad commitment to affordability
Healthcare Preventive care, infrastructure expansion Enhanced support for vulnerable groups Expanded MediSave uses, mental health focus Single-payer system, free maternal care Equitable access regardless of income
Housing Diverse options, rejuvenation plans Not detailed Affordable Homes Scheme, Millennial Apartments Non-Open Market flats, priority schemes Secure and affordable housing
Governance Established frameworks, continuity Electoral reforms, transparency Simplified schemes, EP reforms Abolish GRCs, demand GIC transparency Openness, accountability

Bottom Line: Choosing the Future You Want

The manifestos of Singapore’s political parties for GE2025 reveal diverse visions for the nation’s future.

The PAP champions continuity and innovation, while the WP advocates for affordability and accountability.

The PSP addresses immediate concerns like housing and healthcare, the SDP pushes for radical reforms, and the RDU envisions a new social contract centered on dignity and inclusivity.

As voters weigh these proposals, they must consider which vision aligns most closely with their aspirations for Singapore’s future. Will it be stability and progress, bold reforms, or systemic transformations? The choice is yours.

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