Hong Kong elections postponed by a year

Carrie Lam said it was one of the most difficult decisions she had taken

Hong-Kong-chief-Executive-Carrie-Lam-Reuters Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam | Reuters

The Hong Kong government has postponed its legislative council election by a year, the city’s leader Carrie Lam announced Friday amid a new surge in coronavirus cases.

Lam called it the most “difficult decision I’ve made over the past seven months, adding that the decision had nothing to do with political considerations, but was made based on safety concerns. 

The vote was initially scheduled to take place on September 6 this year but will now take place on September 5, 2021. “The announcement I have to make today is the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in the past seven months,” Lam was quoted as saying in an  Associated Press report.

“We want to ensure fairness and public safety and health, and need to make sure the election is held in an open, fair and impartial manner. This decision is therefore essential,” she said.

Just a day before, Joshua Wong and other pro-democracy candidates were prevented from contesting in the elections by Beijing. On July 28, Hong Kong votes to fire pro-democracy professor and political activists Benny Tai.

Another pro-democratic leader Nathan Law fled Hong Kong after the national security law was passed. 

Countries including Australia, UK, US and New Zealand repealed their extradition treaties with Hong Kong after the law was enacted. 

Western nations, who have been critical of China’s intentions of passing the security law have said that it undermines Hong Kong’s semi-autonomous state.

Hong Kong was initially hailed for its response to the pandemic and was able to avoid widespread lockdowns that many countries imposed to stem the spread of the disease. However, the coronavirus reemerged and as of July 30, the city’s health department reported 149 additional cases of the coronavirus, bringing the city’s total to at least 3,151.

Social distancing rules and other restrictive measures have been reimposed. Dine-in services were suspended and gatherings of more than two people were banned in late July, while face masks were made mandatory in all public places.