More than 600,000 people took part in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy party primaries over the weekend. The legislature of the Chinese Special Administrative Region will be newly elected in September
What were the elections about?
The Hong Kong primaries were held to select the most promising candidates from the democratic parties for the elections to the Hong Kong legislature in September 2020.
What makes the primaries so special?
The primaries took place under doubly difficult conditions.
The worsening coronavirus crisis overshadowed the primaries, with about 113 new infections in the past seven days (equivalent to about 1.7 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants). But voters were not deterred. Photos showed disciplined voters keeping a minimum distance of 1.5 meters, in long, orderly lines. The majority, however, voted online.
Additionally, the vote took place after the introduction of the controversial national security law, which severely restricted Hong Kong’s autonomous rights. Three days before the elections, the Chief Justice and Mainland Affairs Officer, Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, warned organizers and voters that the vote could potentially violate the law.
The organizers saw it differently, however. The Hong Kong government said that it wanted to reduce turnout in advance, and according to the pro-democracy parties, a high turnout would have also marked a potential move against the law.
