| Founded by Chiam See Tong and several new political entrants who launched the party on 6 August 1980 and symbol on 19 October 1980. In the 1991 General Election, it won an unprecedented three seats and became the first opposition in post-independent Singapore to win more than one seat. Soon after, serious internal conflicts led to Chiam's resignation as secretary-general on 17 May 1993, who was replaced by Chee Soon Juan. In August 1993, Chiam was sacked by the party but fought his expulsion in court and was reinstated. Before the 1997 GE, he crossed over to SPP. SDP lost all its seats in that GE and was out of Parliament for the first time since 1984. Under Chee's leadership, SDP focused on global connections by joining several international networks, and publications, including reviving the party's newsletter "The Demokrat" as "New Democrat". However, owing to defamation suits, he was made bankrupt in 2006 until 2012 and returned to the electoral fray in 2015. SDP had also faced the prospect of being wounded up and to circumvent this, its close supporters registered USD in 2010. |
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