Published
4.5 million people in Hong Kong are called to re-elect a part of parliament. But voter turnout is likely to be low, and many have given up hope of democratic change.
Lam promised better suffrage, instead it got worse.
AFP
Only 20 of the 90 seats in the Legislative Council, as the Hong Kong parliament is called, can be determined by the electorate.
AFP
In the parliamentary elections currently taking place in Hong Kong, only patriots are allowed to run for the first time.
4.5 million people are considered eligible to vote in Hong Kong.
But it is expected that voter turnout will be low.
It is the first parliamentary election since the crackdown on the democracy movement.
Elections for a new parliament have started in Hong Kong. The polling stations opened at 8.30 a.m. (1.30 a.m. CET) on Sunday. When Hong Kong Prime Minister Carrie Lam arrived at her polling station to cast her vote, three protesters from the pro-democracy party League of Social Democrats chanted: “I want real universal suffrage.” They pointed to a controversial reform of the electoral law that had significantly curtailed the influence of the population on parliament.
Activist Chan Po-ying told reporters that Lam had promised to “improve voting rights.” However, the reform had “in reality withdrawn the right to vote”.
Since the new regulation, only 20 of the 90 seats in parliament are directly elected. 40 seats in the legislature are elected by a committee made up of representatives loyal to Beijing. The remaining 30 seats are elected by committees representing interest and industry groups. These are also considered China-friendly. In addition, all candidates were checked for their “patriotism” and political loyalty to China before the vote.
Accordingly, voter turnout is expected to be low among the 4.5 million eligible voters. With advertising, leaflets, text messages and free local transport, the city government tried to get citizens to vote. Large private companies, including some foreign firms, also reportedly asked their employees to vote. Because the border with China is still closed, polling stations have been set up there to enable Hong Kong residents to vote.
Since July 1, 1997, the former British crown colony has belonged to China again and is supposed to be governed independently according to the principle of “one country, two systems”. At that time, the seven million Hong Kong residents were also promised that they would be able to enjoy “a high degree of autonomy” and many political freedoms for 50 years until 2047. But since the Security Act was passed, many have only talked about “one country, one system”.
The city’s largest pro-democracy parties have not nominated any candidates. Dozens of prominent members of the opposition – including many who won seats in parliament in the last elections – have been arrested, disqualified or fled abroad for violating the so-called National Security Act. The authorities also issued arrest warrants against activists in exile who had called for a boycott of the elections or the casting of invalid ballot papers.
Since the beginning of the year it has been forbidden in the former British colony to call for a boycott of the election or the casting of invalid ballots. So far, ten people have been arrested under this law. Since Beijing introduced the controversial security law last year, the Hong Kong authorities have also cracked down on any activity that they believe threatens China’s national security. The authorities have therefore arrested hundreds of activists.
The polling stations are open until 10.30 p.m. (local time). Results are expected in the night or on Monday morning at the latest.
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(AFP / DPA / roy)