China exacts more control over elections

HONG KONG — China has sharply reduced the number of directly elected seats in Hong Kong’s legislature in a setback for the territory’s already beleaguered democracy movement.

The changes were announced Tuesday after a twoday meeting of China’s top legislature.

The legislature will be expanded to 90 seats, and only 20 will be elected by the public. Currently, half of the 70seat legislature — 35 seats — is directly elected.

The move is part of a twophase effort to rein in political protest and opposition in Hong Kong, which is part of China but has had a more liberal political system as a former British colony. China imposed a national security law on Hong Kong last year and is following up this year with a revamp of the electoral process.

The crackdown comes in the wake of months of prodemocracy protests in 2019 that brought hundreds of thousands to the streets and turned violent as the government resisted the movement’s demands.

“It’s a very sad day for Hong Kong. The election system is completely dismantled,” said former lawmaker and Democratic Party member Emily Lau.

“They are going to get rid of opposition voices because under this new system, which is so oppressive and restrictive, I don’t think any selfrespecting individual will want to take part,” Lau said.

China’s top legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, amended Hong Kong’s constitution to pave the way for the changes. The Hong Kong government is now tasked with revising its electoral laws and holding an election.

In the current 70member legislature, voters elect half the members and the other half are chosen by constituencies representing various professions and interest groups. Many of the constituencies lean proBeijing, ensuring that wing a majority in the legislature.