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Parliament name Parliament More photos  >>> Structure of parliament Unicameral Affiliation to the IPU Yes Affiliation date(s) 1967 - LEADERSHIP President Tan Chuan-Jin (M)  Notes Elected on 11 Sep. 2017. Secretary General Ng Sheau Jiuan (F)  COMPOSITION Members (statutory / current number) 101 / 100 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN More statistics  >>> Women (current number) 23 (23.00%) Mode of designation directly elected 89 appointed 9 other 3 Notes - Appointed members: up to nine members may be nominated by the President for a term of two and a half years. - Other: up to nine non-constituency members may be appointed from among unsuccessful opposition candidates who obtained the highest percentage of votes in a general election. Term 5 years(two and a half years for appointed members) Last renewal dates 11 September 2015 (View details) CONTACT INFORMATION Address Parliament House 1 Parliament Place SINGAPORE 178880 (Export mailing lists) Phone (65) 6332 66 66 Fax (65) 6332 55 26 E-mail parl@parl.gov.sg Website http://www.parliament.gov.sg/

Parliament name Parliament Structure of parliament Unicameral LEGAL FRAMEWORK Electoral law 12 November 1954 Last updated: 21 July 2015 Mode of designation directly elected 89 appointed 9 other 3 Constituencies - 13 single-member constituencies - 16 multi-member (4 to 6 members) "group representation constituencies" (GRC) Voting system Majority: Simple majority vote Each "group representation constituency" returns three to six members, one of whom must be from the Malay, the Indian or another minority community. Vacancies arising between general elections are filled through by-elections. There are no reserved seats or quotas for women, ethnic minorities or other categories. Citizens overseas can vote under certain conditions. Voting is compulsory, failure to do so resulting in the offender's name being expunged from the register. However, the voter's name can be reinstated if he/she justifies the failure to vote or pays a S$ 50 fine. Voter requirements - age: 21 - Singaporean citizenship - residence in the country - disqualifications: allegiance to a foreign State, death sentence, imprisonment for more than 12 months, insanity, election-related offences, active duty with an armed force not funded by Parliament (unless domiciled in Singapore) CANDIDATES Eligibility - qualified electors - age: 21 - Singaporean citizenship at time of nomination - residence in the country for periods totalling at least 10 years - ability, with a degree of proficiency sufficient to take an active part in the proceedings of Parliament, to read and write at least one of the following languages: Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, English Incompatibilities - office of profit - civil servants - persons in undischarged bankcruptcy - persons fined for at least S$2,000 - persons who failed to lodge return of election expenses as required by law Candidacy requirements - each candidate's nomination form must be signed by two persons as proposer and seconder and by not less than four other persons, all of whose names must appear on the register of electors for the candidate's electoral division - deposit of S$13,500 (an amount equal to 8% of the total allowances payable to a member of parliament in the preceding calendar year), reimbursed if the candidate obtains more than 1/8 of the total number of votes polled in the constituency

Parliament name Parliament Structure of parliament Unicameral BACKGROUND Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 11 September 2015 Timing and scope of renewal The People's Action Party (PAP), led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has been in power since 1965. The Party won 83 of the 89 seats being contested (see note 1). It took 69.9 per cent of the vote, up from 60.1 per cent in 2011. The main opposition, the Workers' Party (WPS), took the remainder of the seats. Since six opposition members were elected in 2015, three non-constituency members were nominated to parliament (see note 2). The 2015 elections were the first to be held after Mr. Lee Kuan Yew died in March of that year. He was the country's first and long-serving prime minister and the father of the incumbent Prime Minister. The Constitution provides that the elections should by January 2017: they were held shortly after the country's 50th anniversary of independence, on 31 August 2015. During the election campaign, the major parties focused on measures to tackle the rising cost of living and housing problems after an increase in the levels of immigration to the city State. The population has increased from 4.17 million in 2004 to 5.47 million in 2014. Note 1: The number of directly elected seats increased from 87 to 89, in accordance with the Report of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee of 21 July 2015. It recommended 13 Single-Member Constituencies (SMCs) and 16 Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) for the 2015 elections, up from the current 12 SMCs and 15 GRCs. Note 2: In accordance with Article 52 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, the number of non-constituency members is calculated by subtracting the total number of opposition members elected to Parliament from nine. The election commission initially declared that one woman and two men from the WPS had been elected as non-constituency members. However, Ms Lee Li Lian, an elected MP of the outgoing legislature, declined to take up her seat. She will remain a non-constituency member until the newly elected Parliament, due to be convened in January 2016, declares her seat vacant. Date of previous elections: 7 May 2011 Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 25 August 2015 Timing of election: Early elections* *In accordance with Article 65 (4) of the Constitution, Parliament’s term last for five years from the date of its first sitting (held on 10 October 2011 for the outgoing legislature). Article 66 stipulates “There shall be a general election at such time, within three months after every dissolution of Parliament”. For the outgoing legislature, those three months fall between October 2016 and January 2017. Expected date of next elections: September 2020 Number of seats at stake: 89 (full renewal) Number of candidates: 181 (146 men, 35 women) Percentage of women candidates: 19.3% Number of parties contesting the election: 9 Number of parties winning seats: 2 Alternation of power: No Number of parties in government: 1 Names of parties in government: People's Action Party (PAP) STATISTICS Voter turnout Round no 1 11 September 2015 Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes 2'462'926 2'307'746 (93.7%) Notes Distribution of votes Round no 1 Political group Candidates Votes % of votes People's Action Party (PAP) Workers' Party (WPS) Distribution of seats Round no 1 Political Group Total of seats Directly elected Non-constituency People's Action Party (PAP) 83 83 0 Workers' Party (WPS) 9 6 3 Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 70 22 23.91% Distribution of seats according to age Distribution of seats according to profession Comments Sources: Parliament (29.09.2015, 03.02.2016, 23.02.2016, 05.04.2016, 13.05.2016, 08.08.2017) Elections Department, Prime Minister's Office (30.10.2015) http://www.eld.gov.sg http://www.parliament.gov.sg/list-of-current-mps http://www.channelnewsasia.com http://www.theguardian.com Note on the distribution of seats according to sex In the 2015 elections 22 women were elected as follows: - 21 of the 89 directly-elected members; and - 1 non-constituency member*. *The woman non-constituency member subsequently declined to take up her seat. The newly elected Parliament declared her seat vacant on 29 January 2016. She was replaced by a male member on 3 February 2016. The number of women thus decreased to 21. - On 24 March 2016, nine nominated members, including three women, were sworn in. As at 5 April, there were 24 women out of a total of 100 members.

Parliament name Parliament Structure of parliament Unicameral APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE Title Speaker of Parliament Term - duration: 5 years (term of House) - reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, ceases to be a Member of the Assembly, is appointed Minister or Parliamentary Secretary, ceases to be citizen of Singapore, becomes unsound of mind, becomes an undischarged bankrupt, hold an office of profit, fails to lodge return of election expenses as required by law, is convicted of an offence by a court of law in Singapore or Malaysia, has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign country or declared allegiance thereof (except countries of the Commonwealth and the Republic of Ireland), is disqualified under any law relating to offences connected with elections to Parliament or is expelled from Parliament for dishonourable conduct, abuse of privilege or contempt. Appointment - elected by all Members of the Parliament - election held when the Parliament first meets after general elections, or when the office of the Speaker is vacant - after validation of election results Eligibility - all of the Members who are neither Ministers nor Parliamentary Secretaries and persons who are not Members of the Parliament can be candidate - candidatures are proposed orally in the House Voting system - formal vote by secret ballot - if there is a succession of votes, Members with the smallest number of votes must withdraw their candidature, until one person obtains more votes than the remaining person or the aggregate votes of the remaining persons, as the case may be Procedures / results - the Clerk supervises the voting - the Clerk announces the results without any delay - the results can be challenged for one calendar month after the voting STATUS Status - ranks sixth in the hierarchy of State after the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Senior Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chief Justice - may be called upon (after the Chairman of the Presidential Council of advisors) to replace the Head of State in the event of the latter's absence - represents the Parliament with the public authorities - represents the Parliament in international bodies - is ex officio Chairman of the Committee of the Whole Parliament, of the Committee of Selection, of the Standing Orders Committee, of the House Committee, of the Public Petitions Committee, of the Committee of Privileges - in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions Board Material facilities - allowance - official car - secretariat - additional staff FUNCTIONS Organization of parliamentary business - maintains order during sittings - convenes sessions - establishes and modifies the agenda - organizes the debates and sets speaking time - examines the admissibility of bills and amendments Chairing of public sittings - can open and adjourn sittings - ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders - makes announcements concerning the Parliament - takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures - establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak - checks the quorum on objection of any Member present - authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates - interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Parliament according to precedents Special powers - gives his consent for the recruitment, assignment and promotion of staff - appoints the Clerk (in coordination with the President of the Republic and the Public Service Commission) - is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments Speaking and voting rights, other functions - takes part in voting (if he has been elected from among Members) - intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure - supervises the stages of bill in the House, transmits a copy of the bill to the Presidential Council for Minority Rights and later transmits the report of the latter to the President of the Republic for his assent

Parliament name Parliament Structure of parliament Unicameral NATURE Nature of the mandate Members are directly elected during general elections held at least once every five years. There is a separate process for nominated members. Start of the mandate Elected members returned at a general election by the constituencies prescribed. [see Article 39 of Constitution of the Republic of Singapore] Validation of mandates Members to take the oath of allegiance before being permitted to take part in parliamentary proceedings. [see Article 61 of Constitution of the Republic of Singapore] End of the mandate Dissolution of Parliament for which Member has been elected or appointed. Can MPs resign? Yes Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes [see Article 45 of Constitution of the Republic of Singapore] STATUS OF MEMBERS Rank in hierarchy Ranked after Ministers and office-holders in Parliament. Indemnities, facilities and services In addition to facilities in Parliament House, Members are provided with a personal allowance, allowance for the hiring of a legislative assistant and a secretarial assistant, medical benefits and can claim for travel allowance for parliamentary business. Obligation to declare personal assets No Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability Members enjoy freedom of speech, debate and proceedings in Parliament, and such freedom of speech, debate and proceedings shall not be liable to be impeached or brought into question in any court, commission of inquiry, tribunal or any other place whatsoever out of Parliament.[see s5 of Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act] Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability Members are not liable to any civil or criminal proceedings, arrest, imprisonment or damages by reason of any matter or thing which he/she may have brought before Parliament or a committee by petition, bill, resolution, motion, or otherwise or may have said in Parliament or in a committee. This privilege also extends to any person acting under the authority of Parliament or the Speaker and within its or his/her legal powers or under any warrant issued by virtue of those powers. [see s6(2) of Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act] EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE Training The Secretariat organizes an orientation programme for members of parliament. Participation in the work of the Parliament Members may ask questions, introduce legislation and raise motions in Parliament. Discipline Such rules may be found in the Standing Orders and the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act. Political parties also have separate rules of conduct for regulating their own party members. Code (rules) of conduct N/A Relations between MPs and pressure group N/A

This page was last updated on 12 September 2017
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