Hong Kong legislature backs Beijing’s sweeping political overhaul
Al Jazeera
Changes approved in opposition-devoid body reduce the number of directly elected seats and will freeze out most China critics.
Hong Kong’s opposition-devoid legislature has approved the biggest overhaul of its political system since British rule, a decisive step to assert Beijing’s authority over the autonomous city. The measures were passed on Thursday with 40 votes in favour and just two against. The pro-Beijing government has faced no opposition in the legislature since last year, when China disqualified some pro-democracy politicians and others resigned in protest. The changes will reduce the proportion of seats in the legislature that are filled by direct elections from half to less than a quarter. A new body will be empowered to vet candidates and bar those deemed insufficiently patriotic towards China from standing.More Related News