Summary
Voters in Hong Kong are participating in an election restricted to candidates approved by China. This comes amid the public’s anger over the handling of a large fire that killed at least 159 people. The election is part of a new system that only allows "patriots" to run for office, with just a fraction of seats directly elected.
Key Facts
- Hong Kong is holding elections under rules that only allow "patriots" to run for office, meaning those approved by China.
- Only 20 out of 90 legislator seats are directly elected by voters.
- A major deadly fire in November killed at least 159 people and led to public anger.
- The fire occurred in housing blocks undergoing renovations in Wang Fuk Court.
- Hong Kong’s chief executive, John Lee, insisted the elections continue to maintain stability and support fire recovery efforts.
- Police arrested 15 people from construction companies in connection with the fire and three others for criticism of the government.
- The pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong has been weakened due to a national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020.
