SINGAPORE: Singapore`s People`s Action Party was on course on Saturday for a decisive victory for a 14th successive election, preliminary vote counts showed, as the PAP looked set to extend its unbroken six-decade rule over the wealthy citystate.

Samples of voting in the 32 constituencies contested on Saturday showed the PAP had won in all but three races. Combined with five seats already won by the PAP in a walkover, that translated to wins in 87 of the 97 parliamentary seats.

The election was a bellwether of the popularity of the PAP, which has ruled since before Singapore`s 1965 independence. Attention focused on whether the opposition could challenge the PAP`s tight grip on power and make further inroads after small but unprecedented gains in the last election.

The main opposition Workers` Party looked set to win 10 seats, the same number as the last election, which was the most by any opposition party in the Asian financial hub.

Though the PAP has consistently won in landslides with about 90 per cent of seats, its share of the popular vote is closely watched as a measure of the strength of its mandate, with new premierLawrence Wong keen to improve on the PAP`s 60.1pcinthe 2020 election one of its worst performances on record.

A final result was expected in the early hours of Sunday. The early vote count samples had a 4pc margin of error, the election commission said.

Living costs and housing availability in one of the world`s most expensive cities were key issues in Saturday`s election and remain a significant challenge for Wong, whose government has warned ofrecession if the tradedependent economy becomes collateral damage in the war over steep US tariffs.

The election was the PAP`s first under the leadership of Wong, 52, who became Singapore`s fourth prime minister last year, promising continuity and new blood.

He took over at the end of the two-decade premiership of Lee Hsien Loong, the son of former leader Lee Kuan Yew, the founder of modern Singapore.-Reuters