Just 31.9 per cent of voters cast ballots in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council election on Sunday, the second-lowest turnout rate ever. This year’s election was the second in which exclusively Beijing-vetted “patriots” were allowed to appear on the ballot. Amnesty International called it a “sham” vote.
The Sunday election came mere days after one of Hong Kong’s deadliest-ever fires, which killed at least 159 people. John Lee, Hong Kong’s chief executive, said the newest group of lawmakers would "join hands with the [government] to undertake support and recovery work following the tragedy.”
According to Reuters, in the wake of the fire, Hong Kong authorities “detained several activists who pushed for greater government accountability.” Beijing, meanwhile, accused unspecified “anti-China groups and individuals” of “inciting resentment” towards the Hong Kong government.
China overhauled Hong Kong’s election system in advance of the 2021 election, making it less democratic. At the time, G7 foreign ministers declared that “the decision strongly indicates that the authorities in mainland China are determined to eliminate dissenting voices and opinions in Hong Kong.” The city’s legislature now has 90 seats: 20 are directly elected and 70 are appointed, whether by government or special-interest groups.
The 2019 local council elections featured overwhelming support for pro-democracy groups and a turnout of 71 per cent.
According to the Hong Kong Free Press, since 2020, “Canada has emerged as one of the most popular destinations for [Hong Kong] emigrants.”
