Singapore’s Election Deals a Setback to a Fledgling Opposition

The last time Singapore held elections, it was in the throes of a global crisis. That was also true when its voters went to the polls on Saturday.

Five years ago, the governing party portrayed itself as the steady hand to guide the nation through the coronavirus pandemic. This time, the challenge is President Trump’s upending of the international trade order.

The People’s Action Party, which has been in power since 1959, improved its vote share markedly on Saturday, an emphatic victory for a party that had a near record-low showing in 2020.

There was no doubt that the party would retain office. But this year’s election was viewed as a test of its popularity, because the previous poll had been seen as evidence of a growing desire for a competitive democracy in the city-state.

“People voted for stability,” said Inderjit Singh, a former P.A.P. lawmaker. “On the backdrop of the trade war and the tariff issues, Singaporeans bought into the strategy of the P.A.P. — that ‘We don’t want to take a risk with our votes.’”

Singapore’s economy is highly dependent on international trade, with a trade-to-GDP ratio of more than 300 percent, nearly five times the global average. Its port, situated along the Straits of Malacca, one of the world’s major shipping lanes, ranks among the world’s busiest.