There is no disputing that a system of proportional representation is the fairest way to elect a legislature. As the name implies, it is intended to give seats to political parties on the basis of their share of the vote.
Ostensibly, it is a more equitable way of sharing power than the 'first past the post' system used in Hong Kong at the last Legislative Council elections in 1995. But the electoral method drawn up for next year's poll has more components than just proportional representation. Only a third of the chamber will be chosen this way.
The rest of the council will consist of 10 seats to be decided by an 800-member Election Committee, and 30 functional constituencies which are all formulated to give representation to small interest groups. Out of a 60-seat legislature, 40 places will be given to members who represent minority groups and business interests.
The effect of this is that however equitable the voting system for the geographical constituencies is, the chamber is already heavily slanted, and the number of Democrats likely to be elected will be drastically reduced. They may get nine seats, but they will not poll the landslide they had in the last election.
The scales are also weighted against geographical constituency candidates in other ways. They cannot hold foreign passports, although this restriction has not been applied to the provisional legislature, which includes 11 foreign passport holders, or to the functional constituencies. No amount of argument can conceal the fact that this is unfair.
A further disadvantage for the Democrats and independents is that the proportional representation system requires them to stand against politicians who broadly share their political views. Martin Lee Chu-ming's party will have to fight Emily Lau Wai-hing's Frontier group, as well as independents like Christine Loh Kung-wai and Elizabeth Wong Chien Chi-lien; but as several hold foreign passports, and may be reluctant to relinquish them to stand in a poll apparently designed to put every hurdle in their way, this is a problem which may remain academic.