New and younger faces who will fill nearly half of the 90 seats following Hong Kongโs second โpatriots-onlyโ Legislative Council election now face the immediate task of tackling the aftermath of the deadly Tai Po inferno, including the policy gaps it exposed and implementing systemic reforms.
Sundayโs poll yielded a 31.9 per cent turnout rate that marked an increase from the record low figure of 30.2 per cent in the 2021 election, with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu declaring the outcome to hold profound significance as Hong Kong sought to recover from the blaze that killed at least 159 people.
โ[The poll] demonstrates electorsโ support for the governmentโs commitment to recovery and reform following the tragedy and for electing capable and committed Legco members to drive institutional reform,โ he said.
โThrough initiating debates, promoting the review and updating of legislation, and driving systemic reforms, we will make Hong Kong a safer city where citizens can live with greater peace of mind.โ
The new legislature will begin its term on January 1.
The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said the success of the election and โhigh voter turnoutโ signalled a milestone achievement that would further consolidate and develop โhigh-quality democracyโ according to the โone country, two systemsโ governing principle, Hong Kongโs Basic Law and the realities faced by the city.