Seunghun Lee/ Mourning Residents May Shun Hong Kong Elections > 공지사항

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As Hong Kong continues to mourn the lives that were tragically lost from a fire that burned an apartment complex, political sentiments are at a low. While political participation in the financial hotspot has already been declining in recent years due to crackdowns from the Chinese government, it may get worse. On Sunday, the residents of Hong Kong will have an opportunity to elect new lawmakers into the Legislative Council, a political body with 90 members in total. Over the past month, the government has actively tried to encourage people to vote, but voter turnout may be even lower than past records. Not only are most of the current lawmakers aligned with the mainland government in China, but members of the Chinese Parliament are also seeking to join the race. Before the Chinese government crackdown in 2021 and when Hong Kong residents were more politically engaged, most of the popular vote went to pro-democracy candidates. However, as the number of candidates who actively advocate for democracy and sovereignty continue to shrink, political participation is decreasing. Hong Kong residents are afraid that the growing influence of mainland politicians will make it even harder for their voices to be heard. Especially after the recent fires, many citizens believe that voting for another lawmaker from China will only increase the risk of government failures. In a society where only 30.2% voted in the 2021 election, experts predict that the voting numbers tomorrow may be even lower. (AP News, December 5, 2025)

Article: https://apnews.com/article/hong-kong-legislative-election-patriots-beijing-ca3a57da94247b0758da245093535aee