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How structural and administrative changes have influenced the political process, since 1959.

As the author sees it, notwithstanding the pecularities of its domestic political environment, it is arguable that Singapore is the only country in Southeast Asia to have practised uninterrupted and competitive elections from the time of internal self-government in 1959 to present. He traces the historical evolution of democracy in Singapore, including recent structural and administrative changes which have had impacts on the political process. (DÜI-Sen)

Singapore introduced structural changes to its elected presidency that reserve an election for minority candidates. Halimah Yaacob then became the country's first female Malay president, after running unopposed. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's siblings were involved in a protracted quarrel over allegations of abuse of power by the prime minister.

In July 2020, Singapore went to the polls amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the People's Action Party remained the perennial party-in-power, the opposition Workers' Party made modest electoral gains. The rise of the Workers' Party may usher in a one-and-a-half-party system in the city-state within the next decade or two.

In 2019, Singapore celebrated its bicentennial and reflected on its journey from a British colony engaged in entrepôt trade to a successful sovereign state anchored in ASEAN. The ruling party announced that Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat will be Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's successor. Presumably, Heng will play a key leadership role for his party in Singapore's upcoming general election.

In June, Singapore captured the global spotlight when it hosted the summit meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The regional political environment prompted anxiety, given the leadership transition in Malaysia. Domestically, political leadership transition and the opposition Workers' Party's lawsuit over allegations of mismanagement of town council funds were major issues.

In the "new normal" following the 2011 general election, Singapore seems poised for further development toward liberal democracy. However, the ruling People's Action Party is attempting to reinvent itself and regain its hegemonic position, which requires finding credible solutions for very challenging problems to do with policy, communication, and public image.

This article, a preliminary observation of the kopitiam (coffee shop) in Singapore, argues that the informal and seemingly apolitical kopitiam has engendered a form of political resistance that we have often failed to see. Using a case study, the article examines how local practices could reflect a hitherto neglected understanding of Singaporean politics.