A former member of Singapore’s governing party was elected president on Friday. Former deputy prime minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 66, received 70.4% of the vote to become Singapore’s head of state, according to the elections department. The country is a parliamentary democracy, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as the head of government.
Tharman will be Singapore’s third Indian-origin president after Sellapan Ramanathan and Chengara Veetil Devan Nair.
“My fellow Singaporeans, I am truly humbled by the strong endorsement you have given me in our nation’s presidential election. My fellow candidates put full effort and energy into their campaigns, and made this a worthy contest. I thank and commend them,” Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam posted on Facebook.
“Above all I thank my fellow Singaporeans, whichever way you voted, for your interest and calm engagement in the issues raised in the election. I believe the vote for me and what I stood for is a vote of confidence in Singapore itself, a vote of optimism in how we can progress together and support each other as Singaporeans,” he added.
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