Carrie Lam is a shoo-in but that shouldn’t hinder serious debate
With three candidates vying to be Hong Kong’s next leader in a small-circle election, let’s hope that important issues are not swept under the carpet
The first phase of the election of a new chief executive for Hong Kong is finally over, paving the way for a comparatively short, sharp campaign. Three contenders with enough nominations to stand as candidates have less than four weeks before the 1,194-member Election Committee picks the city’s next leader on March 26. The close of nominations last night was a defining threshold in the campaign. Until now candidates have been pitching to members of the committee for open nominations and positioning themselves strategically. Now they are campaigning head to head for votes that will be cast in secret.
But the contenders will not only be trying to lock in or sway the votes of Election Committee members, but also to generate support outside the closed-circle election. Beijing’s backing for Lam weighed heavily in the nomination process. However, independent polling that shows trends in public opinion about personalities or issues will also be closely watched.
The challenge for Lam now is to win over the public, among whom she trails Tsang in popularity. That is not an easy task at this late stage, but because the chief executive is likely to be most popular when first elected, it remains important to try to get off to a good start.
