Explainer | Hong Kong elections: what does it mean to be disqualified, who decides, and how have hopefuls been barred in the past?
- National security law objections and plans to leverage a first-ever Legco majority among reasons cited by officials who made the call
- The Post looks at what is at stake in 2020 and the city’s recent history of disqualifications
Among the dozen ousted were not only young activists such as Joshua Wong Chi-fung, who have previously called for the city’s self-determination, but also veteran incumbent lawmakers who lobbied foreign politicians to sanction Hong Kong officials in the wake of last year’s anti-government protest.
The group’s stated objection to the sweeping new national security law imposed by Beijing was also taken into account in the rejection of their bids.
This is not the first time opposition candidates have been disqualified, however. Hong Kong has a record of invalidating would-be electoral candidates as well as disqualifying sitting lawmakers deemed to have crossed certain red lines.
Below, we examine why the dozen aspirants were rejected on Thursday, before looking back at past instances of disqualification and what is now at stake if elections are held as planned.
Who has been disqualified this time?