Singapore's ruling party runs into trouble

A tale of two cities

These are the best of times and the worst of times in Singapore, the world's only global city without a natural hinterland, whose prosperity and good governance are the envy of much of the world, and a model for others to follow. But while the city-state remains an alluring success story to much of the outside world, Singaporeans themselves are starting to question the long-term viability of their longstanding adherence to elite governance, meritocracy, the primacy of growth, and state paternalism. The "Singapore consensus" that the People's Action Party (PAP) government constructed and maintained in the last five decades is fraying, partly because many citizens perceive it to be outdated.

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