Singapore’s Finance Minister Lawrence Wong was named deputy prime minister in a minor cabinet reshuffle Monday, advancing a succession plan that would see him eventually take over from Lee Hsien Loong as the country’s next leader.
“The next generation leadership is taking shape,” Lee said in a Facebook post. “I ask everyone to give your full support to this important transition, to steer Singapore safely out of the pandemic and into a brighter future.”
Wong, 49, becomes one of two deputy prime ministers to Lee. Heng Swee Keat remains as a deputy premier although he stepped aside last year as heir apparent, saying he would be too old to take over once the pandemic was over.