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36.
The reasons given by those explicitly in
favour of, or against direct elections, may be briefly
In
summarised as follows. Those who are opposed, in
principle, to direct elections argue that they would
seriously threaten the stability and harmony of
harmony of Hong
Kong society; and that this in turn would damage
internal and overseas confidence in the territory's
future and threaten its economic prosperity.
particular, fears have been expressed at the possible
emergence of political
political parties, along western lines,
which would tend to emphasise and even create divisions
within the community and
community and to foster the development of
opposing political or ideological platforms, rather
than encouraging the search for broad agreement on the
way to tackle important issues, which has been the
foundation of stable and consistent government in Hong
Kong.
37.
direct
Those in favour of the introduction of
elections see them not as a threat to the
stability and harmony of Hong Kong society, but as the
proper means of achieving a system of government which
is truly representative of all sectors of the community
and thus able to carry out its policies with the
support of the majority of Hong Kong people. In their
view indirect elections alone cannot ensure the
election of members of the Legislative Council able to
represent fully and speak directly for
directly for the people of
Hong Kong.
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