The senior minister of Singapore is a high-ranking appointment within the Cabinet of Singapore. Established in 1985, the position has historically been occupied by former prime ministers or deputy prime ministers upon stepping down from their respective offices and occasionally very long tenured cabinet ministers. As of 2026, eight individuals have held the post, with all appointees being over the age of 60 at the time of their appointment.
The role does not typically carry a specific ministerial portfolio. Instead, senior ministers serve as elder statesmen within the government, oversee specialised national councils, and occasionally represent the country in international diplomacy. Among the executive branch officeholders in the order of precedence, the position ranks after the prime minister and the deputy prime minister. They also serve as part of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and work at the Istana.
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History and 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. 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. Goh 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.
S. Jayakumar relinquished his role as Deputy Prime Minister in 2009, subsequently serving as Senior Minister until his retirement from politics in 2011. Following the 2011 general election, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Senior Minister Goh stepped down from the Cabinet but retained their parliamentary seats. While Goh accepted the honorary title of Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM), Lee declined a similar offer and continued serving as a Member of Parliament until his death on 23 March 2015. Goh eventually retired from politics ahead of the 2020 general election.
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 both relinquished their positions as Deputy Prime Minister.
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. Teo announced his retirement from politics ahead of the 2025 general election.
Emeritus Senior Minister
The Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) is an honorary title created in 2011 for Singapore's second prime minister, Goh Chok Tong, following his retirement from the Cabinet after the 2011 general election. Modelled after the academic tradition of an "Emeritus Professor," the prefix was conferred by prime minister Lee Hsien Loong to preserve Goh's "diplomatic stature on the international stage" while "allowing a younger generation of leaders a fresh slate to govern." The title is strictly honorific, meaning it carries no executive power, no seat in the Cabinet and no ministerial salary. Although Goh retired completely from politics in 2020, he remains the sole bearer of the title and its abbreviation in public life.
List of senior ministers
The Senior Minister is appointed as part of the Cabinet of Singapore.