HOW TO ACHIEVE RELEVANCE
Smaller opposition parties face” major challenges for their coming” because they will battle to recruit new candidates and resources, according to Dr. Rebecca Grace Tan, a lecturer with NUS’s social science department.  ,
Voters also want to cast ballots for a party that can win office and carry out the changes they want, she noted, noting that the new results will prejudice these smaller, underperforming parties.  ,
Parties will need to show that they are different from other events in terms of positive policy positions and make sure those positions are aligned with voter preferences in order to increase relevance and make more of an impact, according to Dr. Tan.  ,
She continued,” Being diverse isn’t much if it goes against common opinion.”  ,
The smaller events will benefit from combining resources, according to Mr. Malminderjit Singh, managing director of social firm Terra Corporate Affairs.  ,
This will also aid in succession planning concerns, he added, which larger functions like the Progress Singapore Party and the Singapore Democratic Party may also need to consider.  ,
These parties must maintain their course and walk the earth between elections, according to Mr. Singh, adding that Singapore’s voters are becoming more selective and will assess individuals ‘ standing for five years in the gap between votes.  ,
Experts noted that Red Dot United ( RDU) had the second-largest opposition slate, which helped to increase the vote share in the younger parties that ran in this election.  ,
By more than tripled the number of votes that RDU contested in the last three years, “even though it was still depressing,” said Mr. Singh.  ,
In the 2025 General Election, RDU contested 15 chairs and received 3.96 % of the vote.  ,
Ravi Philemon, the group’s secretary-general, is a “recognisable number” and appeals to a certain demographic of voters, Mr. Singh said. This gives him some credibility.  ,
But it’s obvious that they must proceed further if they want to have a bigger effect going forward.
RDU’s efficiency was a “promising stop,” according to SMU’s Assoc Prof. Tan. He continued, adding that the large number of tickets they contested helped them increase their share of the national ballot, but he questioned whether they could maintain this in upcoming elections.  ,
If they want to expand their appeal and attract people of all races and backgrounds, he added,” They will have to enhance their charm and guarantee their political relevance.”  ,