after an extensive consultation exercise, the Hong Kong
Government announced that 10 directly-elected seats would be
introduced in the 1991 LegCo elections. But after the events of June 1989 in China, a growing number of politically conscious people in Hong Kong wanted to see a more rapid rate of progress. There followed a period of intensive negotiations between the British and Chinese governments about the electoral provisions to be included in the Basic Law,
particularly the number of directly elected seats.
so that the Legislative Council elected in 1995 could continue
through 1997 for its full 4-year term (the so-called
through-train). The final version of the Basic Law provides for 20 directly-elected seats in the Hong Kong legislature
(out of a total of 60) in 1997, and for further increases to
24 seats in 1999 and 30 seats in 2003, with the possibility of
full direct elections in 2007.
This was
10.
Britain's aim throughout has been to establish a system of democracy which would address aspirations in Hong Kong and be capable of enduring and developing beyond 1997. It was on
this basis that the British Government decided to introduce 18
directly-elected seats in 1991, a considerable increase on the
10 originally proposed, and at least 20 in 1995.
11. Elections for the 18 directly-elected seats were held in September 1991. This marked an important step forward in the development of democracy in Hong Kong. There was a turn-out rate of 39% of registered voters and all 18 seats were contested. The United Democrats of Hong Kong (UDHK) and their allies, led by the lawyer Mr Martin Lee, fought a lively and successful campaign based on a call for faster democracy.
UDHK won 12 of the seats and 45% of the vote. Most of the
successful candidates in the functional constituency elections (21 seats) were independents without political affiliation. The remaining 21 members consist of 18 appointed by the
The
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