New government proposal to allow more candidates in 2017 Hong Kong elections

Hopefuls for the 2017 chief executive election may face a cap on the number of recommendations they can secure from the nominating committee, in a proposal to allow a bigger field of candidates.

The suggestion is said to be one of several listed in a government paper launching the second round of consultation over how to elect the city's leader by universal suffrage for the first time. The document will be unveiled tomorrow.

"The proposal aims at preventing the scenario of an aspirant getting support from an absolute majority of committee members, which would make it impossible for any other challenger to become a candidate," a government source familiar with the matter said.

Hopefuls who obtain enough nominations move on to the committee's internal vote that decides the final slate of two or three hopefuls the public can choose from.

In February 2002, then chief executive Tung Chee-hwa was returned unopposed for a second term after securing nominations from 714 members of a 796-strong Election Committee. The minimum number of nominations was set at 100, so no one else was able to vie for the post.

The same proportion - 12.5 per cent - was applied to the 1,193-strong committee for the 2012 chief executive ballot.

This time, Hongkongers can have their say on whether to retain that entry threshold or to lower it, according to the consultation paper.