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Opinion | Why the Election Committee polls are a hopeful time for Hong Kong politics
- Electoral reform will bring about more balanced participation and broader representation on the Election Committee, with a new generation of political elites
- The city will have more political room to manoeuvre as long as it holds tight to the baseline of patriotism
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The Election Committee subsector elections on Sunday will be a pivotal moment for Hong Kong. How the city conducts polls for the powerful Election Committee that are meaningful and have a far-reaching impact will be closely watched.
It will be the first of three elections to be held over about six months since electoral reform was implemented. Hong Kong’s immediate task is to return talented people and elites who are able to solve the city’s problems.
A timely cure for chaotic politics, electoral reform will benefit the 7.4 million people in the city. Earlier this year, the National People’s Congress adopted a decision to improve the electoral system in Hong Kong and implement the principle of “patriots governing Hong Kong”.
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A clear red line and vetting mechanism have been put in place to prevent those endangering national security from entering the city’s political establishment.
Suffice to say, electoral reform will bring about more balanced participation and broader representation of society on the Election Committee. The committee has expanded, from four to five sectors, and from 1,200 to 1,500 seats.
The number of Legislative Council members has been increased from 70 to 90, and the Election Committee now has the power to nominate and elect 40 lawmakers, besides electing the next chief executive.
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