Macau is likely to go ahead with political reforms as a public consultation has found most residents supportive of the proposed legislative and election changes, the administration says.
It released results of the consultation just nine days after the exercise ended and only a day after hundreds of young people rallied against the plan and alleged media censorship. One youth group accused the government of manipulating the findings.
The government said in its report: 'During the consultation, the society has discussed more deeply the principles of the forming of the Legislative Council and the reform proposals. A wide consensus has been reached.
'Apart from pushing forward Macau's constitutional development, the city's security, prosperity and stability are also ensured.'
The public exercise took views on the election processes for the Legislative Council next year and the chief executive in 2014.
It proposes expanding the chief-executive election committee from 300 to 400 people, and adding four new seats in the 29-member council with two directly elected and two indirectly elected seats.