Singapore polls close; election results expected in hours

Singaporeans voted on Saturday in the city-state's most hotly contested parliamentary election since independence, although Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's long-ruling People's Action Party (PAP) is almost certain to retain power.

Analysts say the PAP should easily win, albeit with a smaller share of the popular vote. At the last election in 2006, it won about 67% of the vote and 82 of 84 seats. This year the opposition is contesting 82 of 87 seats in parliament, the most ever, with the PAP returned unopposed from one five-seat constituency. In 2006, just over half the seats were contested. (Reuters)