The people of Hong Kong are to vote on the appointment of the city’s legislative assembly today.
But in the new heavily criticized electoral system, just over 20 percent of seats are filled by the public – and turnout is predicted to be low.
Sunday’s Voting Hong Kong held the first general election since the introduction of the new electoral system, which would ensure that only “patriots” are elected to the city’s Legco Legislature.
Polling stations open at 8.30 a.m. local time for the approximately 4.4 million Hong Kong residents who are allowed to vote. But over 50 per cent are expected to be on the couch because according to opinion polls, there is no candidate they can think of.
“Young people are not so interested in this election because they are being misled by foreign politicians and the media,” said Daniel So, 65, one of the first people to vote at a polling station in one of Hong Kong’s more affluent . regions, told AFP news agency.
“China is doing very well now,” he said.
The number of candidates that Hong Kongers can vote for is limited. Only those considered to be patriotic and politically loyal are allowed to walk, and Hong Kong’s biggest democratic opposition parties did not even try to stand up. Key supporters of democracy in the city have either been imprisoned, taken abroad or barred from walking.
90 of the congregation. out of In addition, only 20 locations have been designated by the public. Before the introduction of the new electoral system, Hong Kong had 35 out of 70 seats.
Around 10,000 police officers have been ordered to take to the streets to ensure smooth conduct of elections. When the city’s Supreme Leader Carrie Lam voted, three protesters shouted:
“I want real universal suffrage!”
But no disturbance was reported this morning.
The Hong Kong government has joined forces to boost public enthusiasm for the election. With front page advertisements and information leaflets in newspapers and text messages in every household, efforts have been made to persuade Hong Kong people to vote. The government also charms with free public transport on election day.
The UK said last spring that the new system was in violation of a deal China had promised to follow when Hong Kong was handed over by the British in 1997, and Hong Kong’s democracy fighters have said residents should be excluded from the electoral process. has been completely cut off.
“Everyone running in the election will be a puppet completely controlled by Beijing,” said activist Nathan Law, who in September polled a few thousand political-minded people from Hong Kong to vote for the 1,500 members of the Beijing-friendly election committee, which Will appoint 40 members of the congregation.
last 30 places AFP writes that groups appointed by special groups representing trade and special interests are known to be loyal to China.
Voting on the new election law was held during China’s People’s Congress in March, with a number of 167-0 according to Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post.
Hong Kong’s Supreme Leader Carrie Lam said at the time that the widespread politicization of society and the internal divisions that tear Hong Kong can now be effectively bridged.
After the security law was introduced at the end of the year last year, the election law was another blow to democracy in Hong Kong. The law addresses what Beijing defines as separatism, subversive activity, terrorism and collusion with hostile foreign powers.
In the context of the new law, more than a hundred democracy activists have been arrested, mainly for expressing political views.
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