New Legco tasked with pushing for better governance of city, deepening reform

The formation of the new Legislative Council marks another step towards recovery and reform following the Tai Po fire tragedy. Seen as a milestone for “high-quality democracy”, the second Legco ballot under Beijing’s electoral revamp has further consolidated Hong Kong’s all-patriots governance. The lawmakers must work with the chief executive and prove they can rise to the challenges ahead.

Voter turnout percentages – for the geographical polls (31.9 per cent), functional constituencies (40.09 per cent) and Election Committee constituency (99.45 per cent) – all improved compared to 2021, despite concerns that the propensity to vote might be seriously affected by the post-disaster public mood. The slight drop in total votes in the geographical polls is understandable after the blaze.

There were some surprises, with two incumbents each from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) and the Federation of Trade Unions losing their seats. DAB chairman Gary Chan Hak-kan vowed to improve the party’s work. At least 40 are new faces, including district councillor Christine Fong Kwok-shan in New Territories South East, who was dubbed “Queen of Votes” after she won 58,828 ballots in this poll, following five defeats in 17 years, a reward for her commitment to serving the community.