The Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, has officially announced his resignation which will come into effect on May 15, 2024 (Wednesday).
He took to his Facebook page to share how he had submitted his resignation to the President of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, as well as to inform of his endorsement for Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, Lawrence Wong to serve as his replacement.
Lee Hsien Loong wrote, “Today (May 13), I formally informed President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of my decision to resign as Prime Minister on May 15, 2024. I also advised him to invite Lawrence Wong, who commands the confidence of the majority of MPs, to form the next government.”
Just in case you’re wondering, Singapore has a Prime Minister and a President, where the Prime Minister serves as the Head of the Government while the President serves as the Head of the State.
In a formal exchange of letters between the Prime Minister and President, Lee Hsien Loong shared his intention to resign and Tharman Shanmugaratnam accepted the endorsement of Lawrence Wong, stating his intention to appoint the Deputy Prime Minister as the new Prime Minister of Singapore.
“In my judgement, concurring with your advice, Mr. Lawrence Wong is the Member of Parliament who commands the confidence of the majority of the Members of Parliament. I intend to appoint him as Prime Minister on May 15, 2024, and will invite him to form the next government.”
“On behalf of all Singaporeans, I thank you for your 4 decades of selfless service in government, including 20 years as our Prime Minister. You advanced a vibrant and more diversified economy. You opened new pathways of opportunity for Singaporeans, improved life for every segment of society and strengthened out social safety nets,” Tharman Shanmugaratnam said in regards to Lee Hsien Loong.
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