The election comes after the rejection of constitutional reform proposals of the Leung Chun-ying administration in mid-2015 which suggested the electoral method for the Legislative Council (LegCo) in 2016 be unchanged.[1] On 31 August 2014, the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) set limits for the 2016 Legislative Council and 2017 Chief Executive elections. While reaffirming the electoral method for the 2016 Legislative Council election remained unchanged, the NPCSC decision allowed the Chief Executive (CE) to be directly elected but "unpatriotic" candidates would have to be screened out by a Beijing-controlled nominating committee.[2] In response to the NPCSC decision, the student activists staged a class boycott which led into a months-long large-scale occupy movement as proposed by the Occupy Central, which was referred as the "Umbrella Revolution.[3][4]
The government proposals eventually failed to gain the required two-thirds support in the Legislative Council as the pan-democrats vetoed it on 18 June 2015. In response to the occupy movement and rejection of the proposals, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying urged the voters to "punish" the opposition democratic candidates by voting them out in the upcoming legislative election.[5]
Tai has met with reservations from some pro-democracy politicians. Democrat legislator Sin Chung-kai said Tai’s idea would be "difficult to implement" as doubted the umbrella soldiers and radical parties would be willing to collaborate. Albert Chan of the radical People Power dismissed Tai’s scheme as "nightmare".[6]Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood (ADPL) chairwoman Rosanda Mok on the other hand had been actively campaigned for the plan. Tai's plan hit its first setback when the Neo Democrats decided not to support the proposed coordinating mechanism for the District Council (Second) super seats in May.[7]
Emergence of new political forces
The emergence of new political groups led by young activists is set to shake up the political landscape of Hong Kong. Edward Leung of Hong Kong Indigenous, a pro-independencelocalist group, received a better-than expected result in the New Territories East by-election in February 2016 by taking more than 66,000 votes and gaining about 15 percent of the total votes. After the election, Leung claimed localism had gained a foothold as the third most important power in local politics, standing side by side with the pan-democracy and pro-Beijing camps.[8] A day after the election, three localist groups, Wong Yuk-man's Proletariat Political Institute, Wong Yeung-tat's Civic Passion and Chin Wan's Hong Kong Resurgence Order, announced to run in the upcoming election,[9] while Hong Kong Indigenous and another new pro-independence Hong Kong National Party also stated that they will run in the upcoming election.
On 10 April 2016. six localist groups which emerged after the 2014 Umbrella Revolution, Youngspiration, East Kowloon Community, Tin Shui Wai New Force, Cheung Sha Wan Community Establishment Power, Tsz Wan Shan Constructive Power and Tuen Mun Community, formed an electoral alliance under the name "ALLinHK" planned to field candidates in four of the five geographical constituencies with the agenda to put forward a referendum on Hong Kong's self-determination.[10]
Ronny Tong's Path of Democracy and Tik Chi-yuen's Third Side, the two new political groups which split from the Civic Party and Democratic Party respectively, seek for a moderate "middle-of-road" path between the pro-Beijing camp and pan-democracy camp on achieving democracy. They have planned to field candidates in the geographical constituency election.
Due to the soaring number of political groups and candidates which may split the pro-democracy votes, political scientist Professor Ma Ngok said the pro-democracy candidates might all suffer the same fate amid infighting, even under proportional representation.[13]
Pre-election issues
Leung Chun-ying's re-election
The pan-democracy camp has campaigned to block Chief ExecutiveLeung Chun-ying, whose popularity dropped to a new low, from serving a second term. Technology and media entrepreneur Ricky Wong Wai-kay, whose Hong Kong Television Network (HKTV) free-to-air television licence was denied by Leung's Executive Council in October 2013 and sparked public uproar and protests, also started his “ABC campaign” (Anyone but CY) by announcing Leung’s exit as his key campaign platform.[14] Wong is backed by the Liberal Party, a pro-Beijing party representing the business sector which has been at odds with the Chief Executive since the 2012 Chief Executive election when the Liberals openly opposed Leung.
Causeway Bay bookseller disappearances
Lam Wing-kee, one of the five Causeway Bay booksellers who went missing from October 2015 returned to Hong Kong and revealed at a press conference in June 2016 that he was kidnapped at the China–Hong Kong border in October and put through eight months of mental torture. The controversy sparked concerns about whether mainland law enforcement officers were taking the law into their own hands in Hong Kong and became a blow to Hongkongers’ confidence in the "One Country, Two Systems". Professor Lau Siu-kai, former head of the Hong Kong government’s think tank, the Central Policy Unit, worried that more people may vote for pan-democracy camp in September’s election.[15]
Attempts to bar pro-independence candidates from running
On 14 July 2016, the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) announced its plan to require all candidates to sign an additional form in the nomination to declare their understanding of Hong Kong being an inalienable part of China as stipulated in the Basic Law, as many potential localist candidates are advocating or promoting Hong Kong independence. The EAC states that anyone making a false declaration in the nomination form is liable to criminal sanction. Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor director Law Yuk-kai criticised the government's move as "censorship of political ideas" and a breach of freedom of thought.[16]
Returning officers sent emails to several applicants who had not been confirmed as official candidates, including Edward Leung, Alvin Cheng, Hong Kong National Party's Chan Ho-tin, to ask whether they would still advocate independence after submitting the nomination form.[17] Those questions were claimed to be a factor to determine the validity of their nominations. After the court refused to immediately hear the judicial reviews, Leung agreed to sign the declaration form.[18] The pan-democrats also stated they would boycott the new election measure.[19]
On 30 July, Chan Ho-tin received an email from the Electoral Affairs Commission which said his nomination in New Territories West had been “invalidated”.[20]
Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong (BPA): The BPA is the second largest party in the legislature with seven seats, six of which are indirectly elected through trade-based functional constituencies. The sole geographical constituency legislator Priscilla Leung is considering to run again in Kowloon West.[26]
Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU): The pro-labour Federation has risen as the third largest political force in the legislature. Wong Kwok-hing, the incumbent legislator for Hong Kong Island has been tipped to run in the District Council (Second) seat, replacing the retiring Chan Yuen-han. FTU is considering fielding Chan in Kowloon West to target the new seat in the constituency, while Kwok Wai-keung, the incumbent legislator of the Labour constituency, will take up Wong's place to contest in Hong Kong Island.[27]
Liberal Party: The pro-business and anti-Leung Chun-ying Liberals plan to win 8 seats by fielding candidates in two geographical constituencies and five functional constituencies. District Councillors Dominic Lee, and Ken Chow Wing-kan will run in New Territories East and East respectively, while its sole geographical constituency legislator honorary chairman James Tien, who initially planned to stand in Hong Kong Island, may stand in second place after Lee in the New Territories East ticket after businessman Ricky Wong announced his candidacy in Hong Kong Island. Incumbents Felix Chung, Tommy Cheung and Frankie Yick will seek re-election in the three out of four functional constituencies the Liberals currently hold, while vice-chairman Peter Shiu will take up leader Vincent Fang's place in Wholesale and Retail constituency. The party may also nominate Joseph Chan Ho-lim to run in Commercial (First) functional constituency against BPA's Jeffrey Lam.[28]
New People's Party (NPP): Regina Ip's party has planned to field candidates with herself and Michael Tien seeking re-election in Hong Kong Island and New Territories West and barrister Eunice Yung running in New Territories East with the help of its local ally, district-based Civil Force.[29]
Pan-democracy camp
Civic Party: The Civic Party became the largest pro-democracy party along with the Democratic Party in the last election. On 27 January 2016, the party received 17 nominations for the intra-party primary on 27 January 2016. Four incumbents, Claudia Mo, Kwok Ka-ki, Alvin Yeung and Dennis Kwok will seek for re-election while party leader Alan Leong and Kenneth Chan decided to step down.[30] In an extraordinary general meeting on 3 July, the party decided to field Jeremy Tam in Kowloon East where Leong will stand in Tam's list in the second place and 2012 candidate Tanya Chan will contest in Hong Kong Island. The nominations of Ken Tsang Kin-chiu for Social Welfare and Sumly Chan for District Council (Second) are still pending until the final candidate lists to be announced on 17 July.[31]
Democratic Party: The Democrats were the first to set up unprecedented intra-party pre-election primaries for the candidacies for the Legislative Council elections.[32] On 31 December 2015, a total number of 14 nominations were received. Incumbents Emily Lau, Albert Ho and Sin Chung-kai will not seek re-election, instead they will run as the second candidate behind newcomers Lam Cheuk-ting, Andrew Wan and Ted Hui who won the primaries in New Territories East, New Territories West and Hong Kong Island.[33]Roy Kwong will also lead a separate ticket in the District Council (Second) with incumbent James To. Two other incumbents, Helena Wong and Wu Chi-wai will also seek for re-election.[34]
Labour Party: All three of the directly elected Labour incumbents, Lee Cheuk-yan, Cyd Ho and Fernando Cheung will seek for re-election, while chairwoman Suzanne Wu and vice-chairman Chiu Shi-shun will seek for nominations in Kowloon East and Kowloon West respectively. The nomination will be confirmed in the party congress in June.[35]
People Power–League of Social Democrats: Facing challenges from the emerging radical post-Occupy groups, the League of Social Democrats (LSD) and the People Power, radical faction in the pan-democracy camp, formed an electoral alliance in the name of "progressive democrats". The League will field nine candidates with the aim to win at least six seats, incumbent Leung Kwok-hung and Raymond Chan will seek re-election in the New Territories East with two tickets respectively, League chairman Avery Ng and People Power former chairman Christopher Lau and chairwoman Erica Yuen will run in Kowloon West and Hong Kong Island respectively, People Power's Tam Tak-chi in Kowloon East, while League vice-chairman Raphael Wong will form a join ticket with People Power's Albert Chan in New Territories West.[36][37][38]
Neighbourhood and Worker's Service Centre (NWSC): The long-time legislator Leung Yiu-chung for the NWSC is actively considering running in the District Council (Second) constituency, while his place in New Territories West will be succeeded by his long-time disciple Wong Yun-tat.
Neo Democrats: Once vowed not to participate in the District Council (Second) constituency created under the Democratic Party's modified reform proposals in 2010 which the Neo Democrats broke away from the party to oppose it, the Neo Democrats has announced that it will consider fielding Kwan Wing-yip in District Council (Second). Besides its current seat held by Gary Fan in New Territories East, It has considered fielding candidate in Kowloon East and New Territories West.[38]
Demosisto: The new party will field its chairman Nathan Law and film director Shu Kei in Hong Kong Island and vice-chairman Oscar Lai in Kowloon East.[12]
ALLinHK: An electoral alliance formed by six post-Occupy groups emerged from the 2014 protests, consisting of Youngspiration, East Kowloon Community, Tin Shui Wai New Force, Cheung Sha Wan Community Establishment Power, Tsz Wan Shan Constructive Power and Tuen Mun Community, considered running in four of the five constituencies, while supporting Hong Kong Indigenous in New Territories East.[10][40] Baggio Leung Chung-hang, who intended to run in Hong Kong Island, later gave up on running in the constituency and stood in the New Territories West with Wong Chun-kit instead.
Path of Democracy: The moderate group led by former Civic Party legislator Ronny Tong set to field two candidates, governors Gary Wong Chi-him and Raymond Mak Ka-chun. Co-convenor Joseph Lau Pui-wing, who initially considered running in New Territories East, pulled out before the nomination period.[41][42]
Third Side: The new "middle-of-the-road" party led by former Democratic Party vice-chairman Tik Chi-yuen has planned to field candidates in Kowloon West and two New Territories constituencies, but later drop the plan to run in New Territories East and triggered the departure of ten party member including two vice-chairmen.[43][44][45]
As of 29 July 2016, the nominations received by the Electoral Affairs Commission listed as following:[46]
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