The People’s Action Party (PAP) was constituted as a political party in November 1954, with the expressed aim of fighting for Singapore’s independence from the British. At the time of its founding, the PAP consisted of two main factions: the English-educated professionals led by Lee Kuan Yew, and the Chinese-educated unionists led by Lim Chin Siong. Political tensions and differences between the two factions resulted in the expulsion of Lim and his allies from the Party in 1961. They then formed a new party, the Barisan Sosialis. The PAP subsequently emerged as the dominant political party in Singapore, capturing every seat in the 1968, 1972, 1976 and 1980 general elections. It is still the ruling party in Singapore and is headed by its Secretary-General Lee Hsien Loong, who is also Singapore’s Prime Minister.
