Singapore: Prime Minister Lee Steps Down After 20 Years in Power

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The Facts

  • Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday stepped down from the post he has held since 2004 and passed the reins to the deputy PM and finance minister, Lawrence Wong.

  • Wong, 51, will be the country's fourth prime minister, and the first to be born after Singapore's independence was granted in 1965. Lee, 72, is the son of Singapore's first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, considered to be the country's founding father.

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The Spin

Left narrative

Singapore's social contract has eroded over the past few decades, with the famously prosperous state seeing inequality skyrocket and discontent grow with the PAP's infamous paternalism. This only grew under Lee, and Wong now faces the challenge of a disillusioned public, and a tumultuous global order that could upset the status quo. It remains to be seen if Wong will be able to protect the conservative establishment from these unprecedented threats.

New York Times

Right narrative

Lee laid the foundation for a stronger Singapore, and his influence leaves the nation in a better position than ever to tackle the growing challenges in the world. With his advocacy for a stable, rules-based international order, Lee guided the country towards cooperation and the common good over zealotry and aggression. Wong is in a good position to continue the work of his predecessor on the path of stability and prosperity.

The National

Metaculus Prediction

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