Presidential Expectations: AcademiaSG Lecture by Prof Kevin Tan

The introduction of an elected presidency with custodial powers more than three decades ago has had unintended consequences. Meant to serve a stabilising function, the post and the politics around it soon became more contentious and unpredictable. In this lecture-and-conversation with AcademiaSG editor Cherian George, constitutional law scholar Kevin Tan will trace how the institution has evolved, both in its formal structure and in terms of public expectations. Tan will also reflect on how a possible Tharman Shanmugaratnam presidency might further contribute to the evolving relationship between the President and the Government and people of Singapore.
Kevin Y.L. Tan teaches at the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore and at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, specialising in constitutional and administrative law, the Singapore legal system, international human rights and Singapore legal history. He co-edited the volume, Managing Political Change in Singapore: The Elected Presidency (Routledge, 1997) and has written or edited more than 60 other books on the law, history and politics.