Hong Kong district council election: John Lee warns hopefuls nominations not ‘at your fingertips’ after some struggle to secure backing
- City leader says struggling candidates in first district council poll since overhaul should self-reflect, after some contenders report uphill battle
- Some hopefuls, particularly those from the opposition camp, say they are struggling to secure nominations or reach potential backers due to lack of contact information
Hong Kong’s leader has warned aspirants in the coming district council race that election nominations are not “at your fingertips”, as some struggling contenders argued potential backers under the new system had other considerations in mind.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday responded to concerns over whether the revised entry criteria could undermine the legitimacy of the poll on December 10 and argued hopefuls might have failed to convince nominators of their patriotism.
He also encouraged unsuccessful candidates to reflect on why they were knocked out of the running.
“Anyone who takes part in elections knows they must work hard, as nominations are not at your fingertips. They must use all methods available,” Lee said before his weekly meeting with key decision-making body the Executive Council.
The coming district council election is the first since city authorities revamped the municipal-level bodies earlier this year as part of a series of electoral overhauls under Beijing’s “patriots-only” governance model.
