Legal scholar calls for compromise

Parties across the political spectrum should focus on reaching a compromise on how to elect the chief executive in 2017, a former University of Hong Kong legal scholar says.

The controversial idea of public nomination - allowing registered voters to propose candidates - was not essential for democratic development, said Carole Petersen, now a law professor at the University of Hawaii.

Its proponents would find it hard to secure enough support in the legislature, she said.

But reform is necessary, she said, warning that the city would become ungovernable if it stuck with the current electoral system.

"The biggest problem in Hong Kong is that the chief executive does not have a broad mandate and therefore we see frequent conflict between the chief executive and the Legislative Council," said Petersen, former director of HKU's Centre for Comparative and Public Law.

Due to the lack of legitimacy, even good policies were doomed to fail, she said.