Halimah Yacob became the 8th President of Singapore in 2017 through a unique process shaped by constitutional changes and the reserved election system. Here is how it happened:
- In 2017, Singapore amended its constitution to reserve the presidential election for candidates from the Malay community, as part of efforts to ensure multiracial representation in the presidency.
- Halimah, who was then Speaker of Parliament and a member of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP), resigned from her parliamentary seat and the PAP to become an independent candidate, which is a requirement for presidential candidates.
- She was the only candidate to receive the Certificate of Eligibility from the Presidential Elections Committee, as her rivals did not meet the stringent qualifications.
- As a result, Halimah won the 2017 presidential election uncontested, without a popular vote, becoming Singapore’s first female president and the first Malay president in 47 years.
- Her candidacy was widely seen as endorsed by the PAP and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and she supported the reserved election system as a commitment to multiracialism alongside meritocracy.
- Although the uncontested election led to some public debate and criticism about the democratic nature of the process, Halimah was sworn in on 14 September 2017 and served until 2023.
In summary, Halimah became president by resigning from her party and parliamentary seat to run as an independent in a reserved election for Malay candidates, and she was the sole eligible candidate, leading to an uncontested win
