GE2025: Some opposition parties criticise timing of election, say timeline is too short

Short GE2025 election timeline a calculated move, say SDP, RDU & PPP

On Tuesday (15 April), Singaporeans finally found out when Nomination Day and Polling Day for the 2025 General Election (GE2025) will be.

However, the news was not well-received by some opposition parties, who have criticised the timeline as too short.

Source: (from left), Chee Soon Juan on Facebook, Ravi Philemon on Facebook and Goh Meng Seng on Facebook

‘Impossibly short’ period between EBRC report & Parliament dissolution: SDP

In a statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday night, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) said that the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report was released on 17 March (though it was actually released on 11 March).

The report saw significant changes to electoral boundaries, with the former Bukit Batok SMC, where SDP chief Chee Soon Juan contested in two prior elections, absorbed into a GRC.

SDP described the period between the announcement of new boundaries and the dissolution of Parliament on 15 April as “the shortest in recent memory”.

Source: Elections Department Singapore – ELD on Facebook

This is compared with GE2020, when Parliament was dissolved more than three months after the EBRC report was released.

GE2025 election timeline hobble opposition’s efforts, says SDP

The “impossibly short” period hobbles the opposition’s efforts, SDP said.

This will deny Singaporeans a “crucial opportunity” to thoroughly examine the issues before voting, the party added, accusing the Prime Minister of “cutting short the period for the opposition to reach out to voters and present rational alternatives”.

Describing it as a “smash-and-grab tactic” that “cannot be tolerated any longer”, SDP urged Singaporeans to send “an unambiguous message” that the People’s Action Party (PAP) “needs to do better”.

Source: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) on Facebook

GE2025 election timeline unfair, says RDU

Red Dot United (RDU), in a statement from its chief Ravi Philemon, said opposition parties had just over two weeks to organise themselves for Polling Day on 3 May, adding:

We find the timeline both unfair and strategically engineered to benefit the ruling party.

Organising a nationwide campaign in such a short time is “massive and costly” as hundreds of thousands of dollars in logistics, manpower, and preparation are required, he noted.

Labour Day is followed by Cooling-off Day, RDU notes

Mr Philemon charged that there is “no operational reason” for Nomination Day to fall on 23 April, pointing out that now Labour Day (1 May) would be followed immediately by Cooling-off Day (2 May), when all political parties are not allowed to speak.

However, on that day there would still be coverage of the May Day Rally, “an event deeply associated with the ruling party”, he noted.

Source: Lee Hsien Loong on Facebook

Instead, Nomination Day could have been on 22 April and Cooling-Off Day on 1 May, he said, adding:

Such a timeline would have prevented the strategic use of its post-event coverage to shape public opinion during Cooling-off Day — when political parties are not allowed to respond.

But despite the challenges, RDU will “rise to the occasion”, he pledged.

Rushed timeline is deeply disappointing: PPP

Lastly, the People’s Power Party (PPP) said in a media statement that the “rushed timeline” was “deeply disappointing”.

It complained that the time between the issuance of the Writ of Election and Nomination Day was insufficient.

PPP also accused the PAP of “opportunistic political tactics”, adding:

This rushed timeline appears to be a calculated move by the ruling party to capitalise on the fear it has deliberately stoked over US President Donald Trump’s so-called “reciprocal” tariffs.

PPP slams ‘fearmongering’ over US tariffs

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had previously warned Singaporeans that we may be “squeezed out, marginalised and left behind” by the “seismic change in the global order” prompted by the US tariffs.

But PPP chief Goh Meng Seng has said the tariffs would not last for an extended period, with his party’s statement saying:

This fearmongering is both unnecessary and misleading… To exploit such international developments for domestic political gain is irresponsible and an insult to the intelligence of Singaporeans.

Source: Goh Meng Seng on Facebook

The party urged Singaporeans not to be swayed by “the politics of fear”, pointing to other urgent national issues that demand attention.

Also read: Polling Day for 2025 General Election set for 3 May, Parliament dissolved

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Featured image adapted from Chee Soon Juan on Facebook, Ravi Philemon on Facebook and Goh Meng Seng on Facebook.