Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Photo: VCG

The governing People's Action Party (PAP) won Singapore's general election, retaining its more than 55-year grip on power, according to results reported online on Saturday by Singapore's Election Department.

The PAP won 83 of 93 seats on offer, while the opposition Worker's Party (WP) secured 10 seats.

Turnout was 95.63 percent among registered voters.

There were more than 2.65 million voters eligible to vote. 191 candidates from 11 political parties and an independent candidate contests in all 93 seats.

Some analysts believe that this general election is being held during the coronavirus pandemic, and the PAP, which is in good performance in the ruling the country, has a great advantage.

However, Singapore voters, especially young voters, showed their desire to change and seek a diversified government, resulting in the governing party's ballot results being not as expected.

The governing PAP has led Singapore since its independence in 1965. In the last general election in 2015, it won almost 70 percent of the popular vote, perhaps boosted by the death earlier that year of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first prime minister and the incumbent's father.