Occupy students call for pan-democrats' resignation to trigger referendum
Several lawmakers, including 'Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung, have agreed to proposal, says Alex Chow
Pro-democracy student activists have proposed a way to trigger a referendum on political reform – by having pan-democrat lawmakers resign in order to prompt a by-election.
Alex Chow Yong-kang, secretary general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, said on Saturday that the by-election could serve as a platform for people to express their views on the constitutional reform package to be unveiled by the government for the 2016 and 2017 elections.
“Some of us have come up with this idea that if [lawmakers] from each of the five [geographical] constituencies resign, or if the ‘super district councillors’ resign, then the government will have to hold a territory-wide by-election, which will serve as a de facto referendum,” Chow said.
“This will give citizens a chance to express their stance over the constitutional reform proposal they are facing, or the [National People’s Congress Standing Committee’s] decision on August 31, or whether functional constituencies should stay or go,” Chow said in an interview on the TVB current affairs programme On the Record.
“These issues can all be put into the vote for interpretation,” he said.
Chow said his group was discussing the idea with pan-democrats, and some legislators had agreed so far, including League of Social Democrats chairman Leung Kwok-hung.
The city will hold Legislative Council elections in 2016 and the chief executive election in 2017, with candidates selected by a nominating committee.