In a politically turbulent Hong Kong, the decision to postpone legislative elections for the first time since the city’s return to China is likely to…
In a politically turbulent Hong Kong, the decision to postpone legislative elections for the first time since the city’s return to China is likely to fan flames even further.
Citing a recent surge in coronavirus cases, Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced on Friday evening that elections for seats in the city’s legislature will not go ahead on the scheduled date of Sept. 6.
Such is the sensitivity of the issue, though, that Lam spoke for 30 minutes before revealing that the hotly contested elections would instead be held a whole year later, on Sept. 5,2021.
Lam said she is invoking emergency powers to push back the date and that the delay is “supported” by Beijing.
Lam described it as “the hardest decision I have made in the past seven months”, adding that it was “necessary” to “protect public health, people’s lives and guarantee fairness of the election.”
Hong Kong is currently in its third and most widespread wave of infections with more than 1,800 cases over the last three weeks.
Lam noted that the pandemic has forced other places to delay elections, including the United Kingdom and the Australian state of New South Wales.
