President Tharman Shanmugaratnam delivered the opening address of Singapore’s 15th Parliament on 5 September 2025, presenting the Government’s first full policy agenda since Prime Minister Lawrence Wong took office in May 2025. SMU Assistant Professor of Sociology (Education) George Wong said the speech signalled that the fourth-generation leadership is steadily updating Singapore’s social contract, now anchored on values such as confidence, security, dignity, community, and trust. SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan said the speech underscored that Singapore is at a critical historical juncture and called on citizens to remain resilient while working collectively toward a fairer and more equal society.
