What is LegCo in Hong Kong: A Quick Overview.
Hong Kong's Legislative Council functions as a mini parliament with the mandate to pass and change legislation for the city. Nonetheless, polls for this council have seen a significant decline in meaningful opposition amid major governance overhauls in recent years.
Subsequent to the 1997 handover, a principle of "one country, two systems" was established, pledging that Hong Kong would keep a degree of self-governance. Over time, analysts argue that democratic rights have been steadily diminished.
Major Events and Shifts
In 2014, legislation was put forward that would have allow residents to vote for the Chief Executive. Notably, this process was restricted to candidates sanctioned by the mainland government.
During 2019 was marked by months of unrest, including an incident where residents breached the parliamentary premises to voice opposition against a contentious law.
The Effect of the Security Legislation
Enacted in mid-2020, the NSL granted unprecedented powers to the mainland over Hong Kong's internal matters. Conduct such as collusion were made illegal. After this law, every major democratic party disbanded.
Today's Election System
The council polls are viewed as Hong Kong's key democratic process. However, regulations established in 2021 now stipulate that only hopefuls deemed pro-establishment are eligible to contest seats.
- Seat Composition: Now, only 20 out of 90 seats are chosen by popular vote.
- Other Positions: The balance are selected by a government-aligned body.
- Code of Conduct: Recent drafted requirements would compel legislators to publicly support central authority.
Public Response
With other forms of protest now criminalized, not voting has been seen as one of the remaining safe ways for residents to register discontent. As a result record low participation rates in recent LegCo polls.
