Hong Kong elections: only 15 hopefuls file papers on first day of nominations for Legislative Council poll
- The December poll will be the first since Beijing ordered a revamp of the city’s electoral system
- 5 candidates sign up to run in geographical constituencies, 5 register for functional constituencies and the remainder for Election Committee seats
By the end of the day, a government spokesman said five candidates had signed up to run in the 20-seat geographical constituencies. Another five registered for the functional constituencies, which have 30 seats.
The remaining five applicants signed up to vie for 40 newly created seats to be returned by a powerful 1,500-member Election Committee, a recently expanded body filled predominantly with loyalists under Beijing’s plan to ensure “patriots” govern Hong Kong.
In the 2016 Legco election, 33 hopefuls submitted applications on the first day while in 2012, 39 contenders signed up as soon as the nomination window opened.
Analysts and potential hopefuls attributed the drop to a lack of competition from the opposition, the need for the pro-establishment camp to wait for Beijing’s blessing and an extra nomination layer under the new electoral system.