What is the Legislative Council in the Hong Kong SAR: A Brief Explanation.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's LegCo serves as a regional legislature with the mandate to create and amend legislation for the city. Yet, polls for this council have witnessed a significant decline in substantive competing voices during a period of sweeping political transformations in the last decade.
Following the transfer of sovereignty in 1997, a principle of "one nation, two systems" was promised, guaranteeing that Hong Kong would retain a measure of autonomy. Over time, observers note that civil liberties have been increasingly eroded.
Significant Events and Shifts
In 2014, a bill was tabled that aimed to allow residents to elect the head of government. Importantly, any such election was limited to contenders pre-approved by central authorities.
During 2019 experienced widespread unrest, culminating in an event where demonstrators entered the legislative complex to express anger against a controversial extradition bill.
The Impact of the National Security Law
Enacted in mid-2020, the National Security Law provided new legal tools to Beijing over Hong Kong's internal matters. Conduct such as secession were criminalized. After this law, the primary opposition organization disbanded.
The Present Electoral System
The council polls are considered Hong Kong's main electoral event. However, rules established in 2021 now ensure that only candidates deemed loyal are able to contest seats.
- Membership Structure: Now, only 20 out of 90 seats are filled by public ballot.
- The Majority: The rest are chosen by a special interest groups.
- Code of Conduct: Additionally proposed standards would require legislators to "sincerely support" the mainland's oversight.
Electoral Turnout
Given other means of expression now restricted, voter abstention has become one of the few safe ways for residents to express dissent. This has led to historically low participation rates in the latest LegCo polls.
