1959 Singaporean general election

Common card · No. 482323

General elections were held in Singapore on 30 May 1959 to elect all 51 members of the Legislative Assembly. They were the first general elections after Singapore was granted full internal self-government from the United Kingdom, excluding matters of defence and foreign affairs. Prior to the elections, the constitution was revised, known as the Singapore (Constitution) Order in Council 1958. Along with a wholly elected Legislative Assembly, it also created the position of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara as head of state and a Prime Minister as head of government. It was also the first general election with universal suffrage and compulsory voting, leading to a voter turnout of 90.07%, a significant increase from 52.66% in 1955. The People's Action Party (PAP), led by Lee Kuan Yew, achieved a landslide victory by winning 43 of the 51 seats and securing 54.08% of the popular vote. The PAP, which benefited from the support of trade unions and Chinese-speaking working-class voters, had focused on...

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