In Hong Kong, voting is underway to elect members of the Legislative Council. The poll comes days after a massive fire at an apartment complex killed 159 people. Election campaigns were suspended after the fire and were subdued in the days after as the city mourned. The vote is the second since the central government in Beijing reformed the city’s electoral system in 2021 to ensure that only people who are loyal to the Chinese Communist Party can govern the territory. The reform was introduced in the wake of massive pro-democracy protests in 2019. The first election held under the new rules in 2021 saw a record low turnout of 30 percent.

 

 

City leader John Lee has called on citizens to vote, saying it would send a signal on promoting reforms. Authorities arrested people who allegedly posted content that incited others not to vote or cast invalid votes.  The Legislative Council is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong. The functions of the Council are to enact, amend or repeal laws; examine and approve budgets, taxation and public expenditure. In addition, the Legislative Council has the power to endorse the appointment and removal of the judges of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal and the Chief Judge of the High Court. It also has the power to impeach the Chief Executive of Hong Kong.