All seats to be contested in Hong Kong’s Legco poll but are voters tuning in?

With the nomination period over, 154 candidates have signed up for next month’s legislative election

Beijing has been working behind the scenes to ensure pro-establishment candidates do not win without a contest

Reading Time:3 minutes

A banner promotes next month’s Legislative Council election. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 9:20pm, 12 Nov 2021Updated: 11:23pm, 12 Nov 2021

Every Legislative Council constituency will be contested in next month’s election for the first time in Hong Kong’s history, but analysts are sceptical whether the increased competition will translate into greater public enthusiasm for a poll avoided by the mainstream opposition.

Eight more people signed up on Friday, the final day of the two-week nomination period, taking the total to 154. As the Post previously reported, members of the pro-establishment camp have been loosely coordinating to ensure no seats are walkovers.

The December 19 poll will be the first under Beijing’s broad revamp of Hong Kong’s electoral system to ensure only “patriots” govern Hong Kong. The overhaul included adding 20 new seats to the legislature’s previous 70, while also slashing the number of directly elected lawmakers, chosen by residents in their districts, from 35 to 20.

Former secretary for security Lai Tung-kwok files his nomination for the race, with support from senior government adviser and lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee. Photo: Dickson Lee

The changes were slammed by pro-democracy parties as an attempt to silence dissent and they decided to skip the poll, refashioning the political landscape in the process.

A new rising force consisting of about a dozen centrist candidates and 10 business elites from mainland China enterprises has emerged to take on traditional pro-establishment groups.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x