CY Leung rules out ‘Putin-style’ return, welcomes more contenders for Hong Kong leadership race
City’s top official says the electoral system needs competition in the long run, including from the pan-democratic camp
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has dismissed suggestions by a prominent pro-Beijing figure that there are too many contenders in the race to be his successor, adding it is “interesting” that no pan-democrat has come forward to contest the top post.
On a radio programme yesterday, Leung said: “I do believe that we should have competition ... We haven’t seen any candidate from the other side.
“If there’s a candidate from the other camp, making it five or even six, I don’t think it’s a bad thing,” he said, adding that he did not think it was beneficial for the long-term development of Hong Kong’s electoral system if all candidates were from the same bloc, regardless of how many.
Leung, who will step down later this year, also said he had no plans for another shot at the top office, ruling out a “Vladimir Putin-style” comeback. The Russian leader left the president’s office in 2008 but was re-elected in 2012. He also served two separate stints as prime minister.