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Despite the reinstatement of a two-thirds majority in Parliament, I see little cause for optimism for the PAP. I cannot dispute the fact that the PAP did garner the majority of the votes needed to retain its status as the Government, but neither can I overlook the drop in the PAP's winning margin; 60.2% this year, compared to 66.6% in the previous election, and 75% in the one before that. Almost across the board, even in the constituencies they've won, support for the PAP has dropped.
I never expected this election to bring about much change in the status quo, and I wasn't disappointed in that regard. But if I may venture a guess, I'd say that the younger generation of Singapore are making their presence felt; probably the first time they've ever been able to vote, they've used it to announce their dissatisfaction with the policies of the ruling party. And the young ones are just going to grow in number, while the older folks that make up the core of the PAP base will only slowly lose their numbers to the crematorium.
Writing's on the wall. Can this trend be reversed, or is it a matter of a few more Elections for real change to happen?
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