• 03/21/2025

Next ‘patriots only’ Hong Kong legislative elections to be held December 7

Hong Kong Free Press

Hong Kong's Legislative Council. File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

Hong Kong will hold its next legislative elections on December 7, the city’s leader John Lee has said, adding that a separate poll for a nomination committee will be held in September.

Hong Kong lawmakers gather for a group photo after the passing of Article 23, the city's new security law, on March 19, 2024.
Hong Kong lawmakers gather for a group photo after the passing of Article 23, the city’s new security law, on March 19, 2024. File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

The chief executive said on Tuesday that authorities would ensure the smooth execution of the two elections to elect a new cohort of lawmakers, who would be “patriotic, capable, and responsible.”

The 90-seat Legislative Council (LegCo) will complete its current four-year term at the end of this year. It has been opposition-free since authorities introduced an electoral overhaul in 2021 to ensure only “patriots” could stand for office.

All candidates will have to undergo vetting for patriotism and acquire nominations from a 1,500-strong Election Committee, which itself will also appoint 40 lawmakers from its own ranks.

Only 20 LegCo seats will be voted for democratically by the public, while the remaining 30 spots will be occupied by legislators from functional constituencies, mostly specific to particular industries, trades, or professions.

Lee also said on Tuesday that the Election Committee has 90 vacancies – a separate vote will be held on September 7 to fill the posts.

Members of the Election Committee, elected in a “small circle” vote, are considered to be Beijing loyalists. As of 2024, there were about 8,600 registered voters for the Election Committee, consisting of the city’s businesses, professionals, and delegates to China’s legislature, among others.

Explainer: Hong Kong’s Election Committee determines who leads the city – what is it and how does it work?

The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (CMAB) and the Election Affairs Commission will oversee promotion, recruitment, security, as well as the voting and counting processes, Lee said.

Legislative Council President Andrew Leung (centre) and lawmakers meet the press on March 8, 2024, after a special, off-schedule meeting for the first and second reading of the Article 23 of the Basic Law.
Legislative Council President Andrew Leung (centre) and lawmakers meet the press on March 8, 2024, after a special, off-schedule meeting for the first and second reading of the Article 23 of the Basic Law. File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

In March 2021, Beijing passed legislation to ensure “patriots” govern Hong Kong. The move reduced democratic representation in the legislature, tightened control of elections and introduced a pro-Beijing vetting panel to select candidates. The Hong Kong government said the overhaul would ensure the city’s stability and prosperity. But the changes also prompted international condemnation, as it makes it near-impossible for pro-democracy candidates to stand.

Most opposition politicians in Hong Kong have been jailed, left the city, or quit politics after Beijing imposed a national security law in June 2020, following pro-democracy protests and unrest in 2019.

Last year, 45 opposition figures – including 10 ex-lawmakers – were convicted of conspiring to commit subversion under the national security law over an unofficial primary in July 2020 that sought to win a majority in LegCo for the pro-democracy camp.

Local think tank Path of Democracy said last week that nearly half of Hongkongers were dissatisfied with the performance of LegCo, citing the results of a survey it conducted in January and February.

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https://hongkongfp.com/2025/03/18/next-patriots-only-hong-kong-legislative-elections-to-be-held-december-7/