1959 Singaporean general election

The 1959 Singaporean general election was held on 30 May 1959 to elect all 51 seats to the Legislative Assembly of Singapore. It was the first general election after Singapore was granted full internal self-government from Britain, excluding matters of defence and foreign affairs. Prior to the election, the constitution was revised, known as the Singapore (Constitution) Order in Council 1958. Along with a wholly elected Legislative Assembly, it also created the position of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara as head of state and a Prime Minister as head of government. Voting was made compulsory for the first time, leading to a voter turnout of 90.07%, a significant increase from 52.66% in 1955.

The People's Action Party (PAP), led by Lee Kuan Yew, achieved a landslide victory by winning 43 of the 51 seats and securing 54.08% of the popular vote. The PAP, which benefited from the support of trade unions and Chinese-speaking working-class voters, had focused on completely ending colonial rule, expanding public housing and education, creating jobs through industrialisation and fostering racial harmony as its platform. Its main opponent, Lim Yew Hock's Singapore People's Alliance (SPA), which had some former members of the Labour Front (LF), secured only four seats. The Singaporean branch of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) won three seats, while other parties and independents made little headway.

Following the election, Lee was sworn in as Singapore's first Prime Minister on 5 June 1959, heading the first fully elected government under the new constitutional framework. The PAP's decisive victory marked the beginning of a prolonged period of political dominance that has continued into the present day. The 1959 general election is also widely recognised by scholars and historians as a pivotal moment in Singapore's modern history, marking a crucial step towards full sovereignty in 1965.