SINGAPORE -- The sudden announcement by Singapore's prime minister-in-waiting that he will withdraw from contention for the top job has left the city-state with a difficult succession question at the most critical of moments.
COVID-19 has hammered the economy, resulting in a record 5.4% contraction last year. International relations require a deft touch amid an intensifying U.S.-China rivalry that pushes countries to take sides. And the political opposition within Singapore itself looks stronger than ever, after unprecedented gains in last year's election.
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