Hong Kong elite selects powerful new 'patriots only' committee
Hong Kong's political elite will select a powerful committee on Sunday which will choose the city's next leader and nearly half the legislature under a new "patriots only" system imposed by Beijing.
The financial hub has never been a democracy -- the source of years of protests -- but a small and vocal opposition was tolerated after the city's 1997 handover to authoritarian China.
Huge and often violent democracy rallies exploded two years ago and Beijing has responded with a crackdown and a new political system where only those deemed loyal are allowed to stand for office.
The first poll under that new system, dubbed "patriots rule Hong Kong", will take place on Sunday as members of the city's ruling classes choose a 1,500-seat Election Committee.
In December, that committee will appoint 40 of the city's 90 seats in the legislature -- 30 will be chosen by special interest groups and just 20 will be directly elected.
The following year, it will pick Hong Kong's next China-approved leader.
Beijing insists the new political system is more representative and will ensure "anti-China" elements are not allowed into office.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210918-hong-kong-elite-selects-powerful-new-patriots-only-committee
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