Defining the Legislative Council in the Hong Kong SAR: A 30-Second Explanation.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's Legislative Council functions as a law-making body with the power to enact and revise legislation for the region. Nonetheless, elections for this body have seen a notable absence in substantive competing voices amid sweeping political overhauls in recent years.
Subsequent to the 1997 handover, a framework of "one nation, two systems" was put in place, guaranteeing that Hong Kong would maintain a level of autonomy. In the years since, analysts argue that civil liberties have been systematically curtailed.
Major Developments and Reforms
In 2014, a proposal was tabled that aimed to allow residents to elect the city's leader. Notably, the selection was restricted to candidates pre-approved by Beijing.
In 2019 was marked by months of unrest, including an incident where residents breached the parliamentary premises to express anger against a proposed legal amendment.
The Effect of the National Security Law
Implemented in 2020, the security legislation granted new legal tools to central authorities over Hong Kong's internal matters. Acts such as subversion were made illegal. Following this law, the primary political group dissolved.
The Present Election Process
LegCo elections are considered Hong Kong's primary electoral event. However, rules enacted in 2021 now stipulate that only candidates deemed loyal are permitted to stand for election.
- Distribution of Seats: Now, only 20 out of 90 seats are chosen by popular vote.
- Other Positions: The rest are selected by a government-aligned body.
- New Rules: Newly suggested standards would mandate legislators to unequivocally back Beijing's jurisdiction.
Public Response
Amid other means of expression now curtailed, abstaining from voting has been seen as one of the remaining legal ways for residents to show disapproval. This has led to unprecedentedly low electoral engagement in recent LegCo polls.
