Singapore must guard against the worst of democracy too

THE ascendancy of so-called "fringe" candidates in the race for the US presidency is a reflection of the level of disillusionment that many Americans feel about establishment politicians in their country.

Democratic societies around the world, including Singapore, should take heed. The lesson here is that effective democracies cannot be taken for granted, and good governments must fight disillusionment by addressing inequalities within society and engaging stakeholders.

Neither Democratic Party candidate Bernie Sanders nor Republican Party candidate Donald Trump had strong support from their parties' leaders, but both have been posting stronger numbers than pundits had initially expected as the primary election season progresses. Mr Sanders, a self-proclaimed "socialist" who is against free-trade deals such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, is giving Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton a run for her money.