SMU Associate Professor of Law and former Nominated MP Eugene Tan predicted that the next general election will be held in the first quarter of 2016 when the “feel-good effect” generated by Singapore’s 50th anniversary celebrations still linger. He added that it was unlikely to be held within the first nine months of next year as it “may not go down well with voters because they might see the PAP seeking to capitalise on the likely feel-good mood that would accompany Singapore’s 50th anniversary celebrations”. On the Singapore Democratic Party’s (SDP’s) announcement that it would launch its preparations next month for the coming general election, two years before the elections are due, Associate Prof Tan said that this was timely as they would want to have a sense of whether voters there were receptive to them.