Advertisement

The Hong Kong chief executive election: What you need to know

John Tsang, Carrie Lam and Woo Kwok-hing - AP
John Tsang, Carrie Lam and Woo Kwok-hing - AP

A committee will decide Hong Kong’s new leader on Sunday in the first chief executive election since mass protests brought the city to a standstill in 2014. Here is what you need to know.  

 

How is the chief executive elected?

The three-way race to become Hong Kong’s new leader will be decided by an election committee of 1,194 members.

This committee is made up of the 70 members of Hong Kong’s legislative chamber, and a mix of professionals, business and trade elites.

The first vote will be cast at 9am, and the three candidates need at least 601 votes to win.

If there is no overall winner, then members will vote again in the afternoon and possibly in the evening.

Runoffs between candidates have not been necessary in the four previous elections that have been held since the handover of Hong Kong from British to Chinese rule in 1997.  

Campaign banners of Chief Executive election candidates, former Chief Secretary Carrie Lam (L) and former Financial Secretary John Tsang, are displayed on a footbridge in Hong Kong,  - Credit: Reuters
Campaign banners of Chief Executive election candidates, former Chief Secretary Carrie Lam (L) and former Financial Secretary John Tsang, are displayed on a footbridge in Hong Kong, Credit: Reuters

Is this system fair?

Three years ago thousands of people flooded onto Hong Kong’s streets during the ‘Umbrella revolution’, with protesters calling for the election of the city’s chief executive to be held without outside influence from Beijing.

Those concerns were raised after Beijing suggested changes to the current system, which would have involved voting by universal suffrage, but with the choice to only elect candidates who had been pre-screened by mainland officials.

It was then decided to revert to the method that had been used over the past two decades – where Hong Kong’s leader is elected by a privileged committee.

The election committee is supposedly ‘broadly representative’ according to Hong Kong law, but is seen by many as being unfairly weighted towards representatives in business and trade, who commonly vote in accordance with the wishes of Beijing.

Observers say Beijing heavily lobbies in favour of a particular candidate ahead of an election.

Meanwhile, there are only about 320 pro-democracy members on the committee.

This year’s election has also witnessed meddling from Beijing with respect to the final list of candidates.

At least two pro-Beijing politicians – Jasper Tsang and Regina Ip – pulled out the race after they were told by Chinese officials that they could dilute the pro-establishment vote.  

 

Chief Executive election candidate Carrie Lam signs autographs - Credit: Reuters
Chief Executive election candidate Carrie Lam signs autographs Credit: Reuters

Who are the candidates?

Carrie Lam is widely seen as Beijing’s favoured choice and the frontrunner in the race to become chief executive.

However, she lacks popularity among Hong Kong’s 7.3 million citizens as is seen as offering only a continuation of the deeply unpopular policies of the city’s previous leader, Leung Chun-ying, who is known by his initials CY.

Ms Lam, aged 59, served under Mr Leung as his number two, and is widely distrusted by Hong Kong’s pro-democracy camp.

However, she received 580 nominations from the election committee's pro-Beijing members, more than triple her opponents.

Hong Kong chief executive candidate former Financial Secretary John Tsang shakes hands with supporters  - Credit: AP
Hong Kong chief executive candidate former Financial Secretary John Tsang shakes hands with supporters Credit: AP

Ms Lam’s main rival in the election race is John Tsang, who is seen as the most moderate of the candidates.

Mr Tsang, aged 65, is sometimes known as ‘Mr Pringles’, because of his resemblance to the snack food character.

A recent poll in the South China Morning Post newspaper said he had more than 46 percent of public support, while Ms Lam had less than 30 percent.

The city’s former financial secretary has vowed to launch a debate over political reforms and to boost public housing for a larger proportion of the city’s population.

Hong Kong’s property market is the most expensive in the world.

Ms Lam, meanwhile, has focused her campaign on economic issues.

A third candidate is retired High Court Judge Woo Kwok-hing, aged 70, who has been trailing in the polls.

 

What happens afterwards?

Under CY Leung’s leadership, huge political divisions opened up in Hong Kong.

The outgoing chief executive – who decided not to stand this year – took a hardline against democracy activists.

Two pro-Independence lawmakers were banned from the chamber after they altered their oaths by adding anti-China insults last year.

Ms Lam will likely continue Mr Leung’s tactics against activists seeking political reform, which could result in an increasing cycle of political clashes in Hong Kong under her leadership.

Also, as she would begin her term as an unpopular leader, Ms Lam will have little room for mistakes in her early months.

A surprise victory for Mr Tsang, meanwhile, would cause alarm in Beijing as it would signal an erosion of its influence over the election committee.

It could possibly result in more overt interference from Hong Kong’s Chinese rulers to secure the result they wanted.

However, an undesired result for Beijing – and the suggestion that China’s behind-the-scenes control of Hong Kong is waning - is thought unlikely.

READ MORE ABOUT: