Replacement system avoids 'auto succession'

May 18, 2011

The arrangement for filling vacancies in the Legislative Council proposed by the Government avoids the "automatic succession" problem, Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Stephen Lam says.
 
Speaking to the media after attending radio shows today, Mr Lam said if a vacancy were to be filled by a candidate from the same list as the legislator who resigns, it would be possible for a legislator to resign to bring in younger candidates on the same list.
 
“This will be an erosion of the open and fair electoral system that we cherish in Hong Kong,” he said.
 
Mr Lam reiterated the Government has considered various options, and said he believed the largest remainder vote replacement mechanism being proposed now will enable the overall will of Legislative Council voters to be expressed during a general election and to pre-select certain potential replacements.