section_path: Pre-election activities/People's Action Party/Leadership succession
section_name: Leadership succession
paragraph_text: Leadership succession
  
  In November 2018, the governing People's Action Party (PAP) appointed Heng Swee Keat as the party's first assistant secretary-general. The Straits Times speculated that with Heng's appointment, he would succeed Lee Hsien Loong as the next prime minister. Heng remained in the PAP's Central Executive Committee (CEC) in the 2020 party elections, in which Lawrence Wong was first elected into the CEC. However, in April 2021, Heng stepped down as leader of the PAP's fourth-generation (4G) team, citing his age and health concerns. Analysts from The Straits Times suggested that Heng's withdrawal might be due to the PAP's weaker performance in the previous general election, where it secured only 61.24% of the popular vote. This outcome could signal a lack of voter confidence in his leadership. On the other hand, CNA analysts said Heng still held support from the 4G team following the elections and suggested Heng's decision might be "personal".
  
  In a party caucus on 14 April 2022, finance minister Wong was selected as the leader of the 4G team, following consultations with other ministers of the 4G team. On 13 June that year, Wong was appointed deputy prime minister (DPM) following a cabinet reshuffle. Wong also assumed responsibility for the Strategy Group within the Prime Minister's Office. On 5 November 2023, Lee said he would hand over party leadership to Wong in 2024, before the party's 70th anniversary. On 15 April 2024, Lee announced Wong would succeed him as prime minister on 15 May. In Wong's new cabinet, Gan Kim Yong was promoted as DPM and Lee was appointed as senior minister; Wong only planned major changes to the cabinet after the next election. On 24 November, at the PAP's biennial conference celebrating the party's 70th anniversary, Lee stepped down as secretary-general, although he remained in the CEC. Gan also stepped down from the CEC, while Chee Hong Tat was co-opted into CEC for the first time. On 4 December 2024, Wong was elected as the PAP secretary-general.
  
  At the party's Women's Wing conference on 1 September 2024, Wong pledged to field more women candidates in the upcoming election. Candidates were to be progressively announced before the expiry of the parliament term, including the successors for the three (out of four) vacated seats, three new members in the opposition-held constituencies, and at least one candidate in a potential swing constituency. On 7 July 2023, Tharman Shanmugaratnam resigned from all his positions in the government and as a member of the PAP to run for the 2023 presidential election. He won the election and was elected president on 14 September.