What is LegCo in Hong Kong: A Quick Guide.

Hong Kong's Legislative Council functions as a regional legislature with the power to enact and revise legislation for the region. Nonetheless, electoral processes for this assembly have seen a significant decline in genuine political alternatives during a period of significant governance overhauls in the past few years.

Following the transfer of sovereignty in 1997, a model of "one nation, two systems" was put in place, guaranteeing that Hong Kong would keep a level of self-governance. Gradually, analysts argue that democratic rights have been increasingly eroded.

Major Events and Shifts

Back in 2014, a proposal was introduced that was designed to allow residents to choose the head of government. Importantly, this process was limited to nominees vetted by the mainland government.

In 2019 experienced extensive unrest, including an incident where residents breached the legislative complex to express anger against a contentious legal amendment.

The Consequence of the Security Legislation

Implemented in mid-2020, the National Security Law handed extensive authority to central authorities over Hong Kong's affairs. Acts such as secession were made illegal. In the wake of this law, all significant political group ceased operations.

The Current Electoral Framework

Elections for the legislature are considered Hong Kong's primary political process. But, rules introduced in the past few years now ensure that only candidates deemed loyal are able to contest seats.

• Seat Composition: Currently, only 20 out of 90 seats are filled by public ballot.
• The Majority: The rest are selected by a special interest groups.
• Code of Conduct: Additionally suggested requirements would mandate legislators to unequivocally back the mainland's oversight.

Public Response

With many means of expression now restricted, voter abstention has been seen as one of the few legal ways for residents to express dissent. This has led to record low voter turnout in subsequent LegCo contests.