Hong Kong: Beijing approves radical reform of electoral system, opposition prevented
Hong Kong Administrative Zone Chief Carrie Lam at a session of the Legislative Council, March 17, 2021. AP - Vincent Yu
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
The overhaul of Hong Kong's electoral law adopted by the standing committee of the Beijing National People's Congress now makes it extremely difficult for the opposition to stand for the Legislative Council of the Special Administrative Region.
Publicity
Read more
With our correspondent in Beijing,
Stéphane Lagarde
Unsurprisingly, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in Beijing adopted
the overhaul of the election law in Hong Kong
.
167 hands raised, 0 against.
China's
stated goal
is to ensure that only “
patriots
” rule
Hong Kong
.
This amendment to annexes I and II of the fundamental law of the special administrative region therefore adds a series of filters to the electoral code.
First, the overhaul will allow the establishment of a powerful candidacy verification committee that will be able to say who is “
patriotic
” or not, and therefore who is legitimate or not to stand for election.
This decision will be made on the basis of information provided by the National Security Unit within the Hong Kong Police.
Only 20% of deputies elected by direct universal suffrage
Other important roadblocks: the reduction in the number of directly elected seats from 35 to 20 and the fact that the electoral committee enlarged to 1,500 members (1,200 increased by 300 new members), and controlled by the central power, will now be able to send 40 representatives in the Legislative Council (Legco) in an assembly which goes from 70 to 90 seats.
This text also provides for a reinforced weight given to voices from the corporate sector and business circles generally close to
the establishment
, as well as the removal of the 117 seats resulting from the elections of districts where the opposition is generally majority.
These nomination criteria are even stricter for candidates for the post of chief executive, who must be nominated by at least 15 members from each sector.
The current chief executive, Carrie Lam, hinted at a press conference on Tuesday noon that dissenting voices will be authorized, as long as they are "
patriots
".
► To read also: Democracy in Hong Kong: Beijing acts the end of "one country, two systems"
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
China
Hong Kong
On the same subject
Raw materials chronicle
Tensions in the cardboard and paper market
Covid-19: United Arab Emirates to produce Chinese vaccine Sinopharm
Uyghurs: China sanctions American and Canadian personalities