Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday announced a sweeping cabinet revamp after the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) suffered a major poll setback on May 7.
The party old guard, led by his father Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong, both former prime ministers, are out of the new cabinet.
So are the ministers in charge of internal security, housing and transport -- three of the hottest issues in the polls.
The most notable promotion was that of Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who is now concurrently deputy prime minister and manpower minister.
Lee Kuan Yew and Goh had offered their resignations from the cabinet on Saturday to give way to younger leaders.
In the May 7 parliamentary election, the PAP's share of all votes cast fell to an all-time low of 60 percent, which analysts said reflected widespread anger with the government's policies and performance despite Singapore's rapid economic progress.
Only a group voting system prevented the opposition from winning more than the six seats it secured in the election.
The PAP, in power since the former British colony gained self-rule in 1959, garnered 67 percent of the popular vote in the last election held in 2006 and 75 percent in 2001.
The party old guard, led by his father Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong, both former prime ministers, are out of the new cabinet.
So are the ministers in charge of internal security, housing and transport -- three of the hottest issues in the polls.
The most notable promotion was that of Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who is now concurrently deputy prime minister and manpower minister.
Lee Kuan Yew and Goh had offered their resignations from the cabinet on Saturday to give way to younger leaders.
In the May 7 parliamentary election, the PAP's share of all votes cast fell to an all-time low of 60 percent, which analysts said reflected widespread anger with the government's policies and performance despite Singapore's rapid economic progress.
The PAP, in power since the former British colony gained self-rule in 1959, garnered 67 percent of the popular vote in the last election held in 2006 and 75 percent in 2001.
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