Legislative Council disqualifications shift the balance of power in Hong Kong
The court ruling disqualifying four lawmakers from the legislature could let pro-government members rewrite the rule book of the chamber
That gives the government’s allies the opportunity to capitalise on their strength in the Legislative Council and change the rule book to stop filibustering, a tactic often used by the pan-democrats to block controversial bills.
The fallout from the unseating of “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung, Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Lau Siu-lai and Edward Yiu Chung-yim, which was orchestrated by the previous administration, will also pose tough challenges to Hong Kong’s new leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.
She had vowed to improve relations between the city’s executive and the legislative branches, which turned sour under her predecessor, Leung Chun-ying. But she now faces what the pan-democrats are calling “all out war” after Friday’s court ruling in favour of the government.
