Andrew Leung set to become Legco president as pro-establishment bloc rejects rival’s call for primary
Functional constituency lawmaker likely to defeat democratic caucus candidate James To due to camp’s majority in legislature
A pro-establishment lawmaker who has kept his seat unopposed to represent the industrial sector since 2004 is set to be elected president of the new Legislative Council, though some of his allies worry his lack of a bigger mandate could be a “ticking time bomb”.
The government’s political allies in the legislature endorsed Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen at an internal meeting yesterday as their candidate to succeed outgoing Legco president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing.
The approval by the proestablishment camp came despite strong objections by two of its members, Michael Tien Puk-sun and Paul Tse Wai-chun, both directly elected lawmakers who had also eyed the top job.
Most of the lawmakers who attended yesterday’s meeting also rejected Tien’s proposal to hold a primary by secret ballot ahead of the nomination process ending tomorrow, citing a lack of time.
Leung is expected to beat a challenge by the Democratic Party’s James To Kun-sun because of the pro-establishment camp’s majority in the 70-strong legislature, but that would go against the tradition of having directly elected lawmakers take the helm of the council.