Why Singapore's Prime Minister is the world's most expensive political leader

Nature · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Singapore's prime minister holds immense executive power, steering government policy and national security while operating under a unique Westminster-inspired system. Despite commanding the highest salary of any politician globally, the office remains surprisingly grounded, eschewing private government jets for commercial flights and maintaining a working office at the historic Sri Temasek.

The office of the prime minister in Singapore serves as the head of government, a role that evolved from the chief minister position upon the nation's self-governance in 1959. Lee Kuan Yew was the first to hold the title, sworn in on 5 June 1959. Today, the prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of the Cabinet, typically functioning as the leader of the majority party in Parliament. While the president nominally holds executive authority, constitutional amendments in 1991 solidified the prime minister's role as the primary driver of governance, as the president is generally bound to act on the Cabinet's advice.

The prime minister's influence is extensive, covering the appointment of Cabinet ministers, the nomination of the speaker of Parliament, and executive authority over the Singapore Armed Forces through the Armed Forces Council. They also hold the power to advise the president on declaring states of emergency. Despite this authority, the office maintains a pragmatic approach to logistics; the prime minister does not possess a dedicated government aircraft, instead opting for commercial travel on Singapore Airlines or its subsidiary, Scoot, when representing the nation abroad.

Financial compensation for the role has seen significant shifts. Following a 2011 review initiated by Lee Hsien Loong, the salary was reduced by 36% to S$2.2 million, a figure that included the removal of pension benefits. However, a revision on 8 September 2026 raised the annual package to S$3.6 million, effective 15 October 2026. This remains the highest salary for a politician worldwide. Interestingly, while Sri Temasek is the official residence, it has never been used as a home; since 2024, it has served as the prime minister's working office due to ongoing renovations at the Istana.

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