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Gps 600 CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1704
OF 2207552 AUGUST 95
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON (FOR DORWARD, LO PLEASE PASS)
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA (FOR CARTLAND), BRUSSELS (FOR JONES)
INFO ROUTINE UKNIS GENEVA
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS.
1. A TOTAL OF 64 CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR ELECTION
TO LEGCO. THESE COMPRISE 39 CANDIDATES NOMINATED FOR THE 12
ELECTORAL COLLEGE SEATS AND 25 CANDIDATES FOR THE 12 FUNCTIONAL
CONSTITUENCY SEATS. THE NOMINATION PERIOD WAS FROM 2 AUGUST TO
20 AUGUST.
2. IN ONE ELECTORAL COLLEGE (THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL) CONSTITUENCY, THE CANDIDATE STANDS UNOPPOSED AND WILL BE
AUTOMATICALLY RETURNED. FIVE OTHERS WILL BE SIMILARLY RETURNED
UNOPPOSED IN THE COMMERCIAL 11, INDUSTRIAL I, FINANCIAL AND
LABOUR FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES. (IN THE LABOUR CONSTITUENCY
ONE RIGHTWING AND ONE LEFTWING CANDIDATE HAVE PEEN NOMINATED).
3. AS EXPECTED, NOMINATIONS FOR THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE SEATS PICKED
UP AT THE END AFTER A SLOW START. 26 OF THE 39 CANDIDATES
REGISTERED IN THE LAST TWO DAYS OF THE NOMINATION PERIOD. THERE
WAS ONE WITHDRAWAL ON THE FINAL DAY.
4. THE SLOWNESS OF NOMINATION IS A REFLECTION OF THE INTENSE
LOBBYING FOR SUPPORT WITHIN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONSTITUENCIES.
THE ELECTIONS ON 26 SEPTEMBER WILL BE KEENLY CONTESTED WITH AS
MANY AS 6 CANDIDATES IN ONE CASE (HONG KONG ISLAND EAST CONSTIT-
UENCY) COMPETING FOR A SINGLE SEAT.
5. NOMINATIONS FOR THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SEATS CONTAINED
NO SURPRISES. MOST OF THE CANDIDATES HAD MADE KNOWN PUBLICLY THE IR
DECISION TO RUN WELL DEFORE THE START OF THE NOMINATION PERIOD,
AND NOMINATIONS CAME IN STEADILY THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD. THE MOST
HEAVILY CONTESTED SEATS WILL BE THOSE IN THE FOLLOWING CONSTIT-
VENCIES: TEACHING 5: SOCIAL SERVICES 3: LEGAL 3: AND ENGINEERING,
ARCHITECTURAL, SURVEYING AND PLANNING, 3.
CONFIDENTIAL
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