HONG KONG –
A Hong Kong election commission will vote on Sunday for the city’s sole leadership candidate, John Lee, who is widely expected to win and become Hong Kong’s next chief executive.
The committee, which consists of nearly 1,500 mostly pro-Beijing members, is voting in a two-and-a-half-hour secret ballot. Lee needed more than 750 votes to win the election.
As the only candidate in the polls, Lee is expected to win easily, especially since he is endorsed by Beijing and last month received 786 nominations from members of the Election Commission. vote to support his candidacy.
Sunday’s election follows major changes to Hong Kong’s election laws last year to ensure that only “patriots” loyal to Beijing can hold office. The legislature was also reorganized for all but opposition voices.
The meticulous arrangements around predetermined outcomes speak to Beijing’s desire for democracy. Although they will vote by secret ballot, Hong Kong’s electors have all been carefully vetted.
On Sunday morning, three members of the League of Social Democrats, a local activist group, protested the election by attempting to march to the polling place while displaying a popular demand banner. Suffrage allows Hong Kongers to vote for both the legislature and the head. operating.
“Human rights over rights, people over water,” reads the banner. “One person, one vote for the CEO. Implement universal suffrage immediately.”
One protester was handing out leaflets before police arrived and tied up protesters and banners. Police also searched the protesters’ belongings and removed their personal details, although no arrests were made immediately.
Pro-democracy factions in Hong Kong have long demanded universal suffrage, as they promised the city in its mini-constitution, the Basic Law. This was also the main demand during the Umbrella Revolution protests of 2014 and the anti-government protests of 2019.
Lee as Hong Kong’s future leader has raised concerns that Beijing could further tighten its grip on Hong Kong. He has spent most of his civil service career in the police and security bureau, and is an outspoken and staunch advocate of the national security law to be introduced to Hong Kong in 2020 aimed at quelling dissent. political opinion.
His rise stemmed from massive anti-government protests in 2019, which turned into violent clashes. As security secretary, he oversaw a police operation to confront protesters with tear gas and rubber bullets, then round up many of them for later arrest.
More than 150 people have been arrested under the security law, which prohibits secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces to interfere in city affairs. Almost all of the prominent pro-democracy activists have been jailed, others have fled abroad or been threatened in silence.
Thousands of residents have fled the city of 7.4 million people amid the 2019 protests and harsh post-pandemic restrictions, including many professionals and expats.
During the campaign trail in the weeks leading up to Sunday’s vote, Lee pledged long-awaited local legislation to protect from security threats and pledged to increase the supply of homes. in the most expensive real estate market in the world.
He also said he would enhance the city’s competitiveness and lay a solid foundation for Hong Kong’s development.
If elected, Lee will replace current leader Carrie Lam on July 1.
