Senior Minister of Singapore is a position in the Cabinet of Singapore. Holders of this office have previously served as either the prime minister or the deputy prime minister. Among the executive branch officeholders in the order of precedence, the position ranks after the prime minister and the deputy prime minister. Senior Ministers also serve as part of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and work at the Istana.
Background[]
S. Rajaratnam, Singapore's first Minister for Foreign Affairs, took on the newly created role of Senior Minister in 1985 before retiring in 1988.[1] Prior to that, he served as Deputy Prime Minister between 1980 and 1985.
Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first Prime Minister, was appointed as Senior Minister in 1990, after being succeeded by Goh Chok Tong as prime minister. He was ranked second in the order of precedence, superseding the incumbent Deputy Prime Ministers Lee Hsien Loong and Ong Teng Cheong.[2]
Goh Chok Tong was appointed Senior Minister in 2004 after handing over the office of Prime Minister to Lee Hsien Loong. As Senior Minister, he was ranked second in the order of precedence, while Lee Kuan Yew, who was appointed as Minister Mentor, ranked third in the order of precedence.[3]
S. Jayakumar relinquished his role as Deputy Prime Minister in 2009 and was appointed as Senior Minister before retiring from politics in 2011.[4]
After the 2011 general election, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong left the Cabinet but remained as Members of Parliament. Goh accepted an honorary title of Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM); Lee was also offered a similar title but he declined and continued to serve as a Member of Parliament until his death on 23 March 2015.[5]
Between 21 May 2011 and 1 May 2019, the office of Senior Minister was vacant. After this eight-year gap, Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam were appointed after they relinquished their positions as Deputy Prime Minister. [6]
On 8 June 2023, Tharman Shanmugaratnam announced his intention to run for the 2023 presidential election and his scheduled resignation on 7 July 2023 from all his positions in the government and as a member of the People's Action Party, as the presidency is a non-partisan office.
Lee Hsien Loong was appointed Senior Minister on 15 May 2024 after handing over the office of Prime Minister to Lawrence Wong.[7]
Teo Chee Hean announced his retirement from politics upon the General Election in May 2025. He moved to Senior Advisor position in 27 September 2025.
List of senior ministers[]
The Senior Minister is appointed as part of the Cabinet of Singapore.
| No. | Portrait | Name Template:Small |
Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party | Cabinet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | File:ASEAN's Big Five (S. Rajaratnam).jpg | S. Rajaratnam Template:Small |
2 January 1985 |
13 September 1988 |
Template:Ayd | PAP | Lee K. VII |
| Vacant Template:Small |
Lee K. VIII | ||||||
| 2 | File:Lee Kuan Yew.jpg | Lee Kuan Yew Template:Small |
28 November 1990 |
12 August 2004 |
Template:Ayd | PAP | Goh I Goh II Goh III Goh IV |
| 3 | File:GohChokTong-WashingtonDC-20010614.jpg | Goh Chok Tong Template:Small |
12 August 2004 |
21 May 2011 |
Template:Ayd | PAP | Lee H. I Lee H. II |
| 4 | File:Jayakumar (1).jpg | S. Jayakumar Template:Small |
1 April 2009 |
21 May 2011 |
Template:Ayd | PAP | Lee H. II |
| Vacant Template:Small |
Lee H. III Lee H. IV | ||||||
| 5 | File:Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the official opening of Yuan Ching Secondary School's new building, Singapore - 20100716 (cropped).jpg | Tharman Shanmugaratnam Template:Small |
1 May 2019 |
7 July 2023 |
Template:Ayd | PAP | Lee H. IV Lee H. V |
| 6 | File:Teo Chee Hean 2.jpg | Teo Chee Hean Template:Small |
1 May 2019 |
23 May 2025 |
Template:Ayd | PAP | Lee H. IV Lee H. V Wong I |
| 7 | File:Lee Hsien Loong 2016 (cropped).jpg | Lee Hsien Loong Template:Small |
15 May 2024 |
Incumbent | Template:Ayd | PAP | Wong I Wong II |
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See also[]
- Prime Minister of Singapore
- Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
- Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore
- Minister Mentor
References[]
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Template:Current Cabinet of Singapore