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Saturday, Feb 22, 2025
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Legco election to be hold in early September
The government is aiming to hold the postponed Legislative Council election in early-September amid proposed reforms of the electoral system, the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai said.
Citing public health concerns, the government has decided to delay the Legislative Council election, originally scheduled last September, by a year.
On Wednesday, Tsang's bureau has proposed an amendment bill to regulate the eligibility of candidates who stand in elections.
The bill to amend the Public Offices (Candidacy and Taking Up Offices) Ordinance is expected to list out requirements to ensure candidates standing in elections uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the SAR.
In a radio program, Tsang said there were "non-patriotic" candidates in elections in the past which had led to "chaos,"and that there is a need to improve the existing system.
He said the bureau hadn't yet known details about how and when Beijing planned to change the electoral system in the SAR, but the administration would "fully cooperate" with the central government once it had made the decision. If necessary, the SAR government would also introduce new laws.
Earlier this week, Xia Baolong, the State Council's director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, said the city needs an "urgent" overhaul of its electoral systems based on the principle of "patriots ruling Hong Kong."
Xia stated those in Hong Kong's three statutory bodies - the executive, the legislature and the judiciary - must be "staunch patriots," and that there is no room for those who "oppose China and disrupt Hong Kong."
On Wednesday, Tsang's bureau has proposed an amendment bill to regulate the eligibility of candidates who stand in elections.
The bill to amend the Public Offices (Candidacy and Taking Up Offices) Ordinance is expected to list out requirements to ensure candidates standing in elections uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the SAR.
In a radio program, Tsang said there were "non-patriotic" candidates in elections in the past which had led to "chaos,"and that there is a need to improve the existing system.
He said the bureau hadn't yet known details about how and when Beijing planned to change the electoral system in the SAR, but the administration would "fully cooperate" with the central government once it had made the decision. If necessary, the SAR government would also introduce new laws.
Earlier this week, Xia Baolong, the State Council's director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, said the city needs an "urgent" overhaul of its electoral systems based on the principle of "patriots ruling Hong Kong."
Xia stated those in Hong Kong's three statutory bodies - the executive, the legislature and the judiciary - must be "staunch patriots," and that there is no room for those who "oppose China and disrupt Hong Kong."
