ENG-2011 — Page 51

Constitution and Administration | 15

Electoral System for the Chief Executive

In accordance with the Basic Law, the Chief Executive shall be elected by an Election Committee (EC). The EC for the term up to January 2012 is composed of 800 members from four sectors which are in turn composed of 38 subsectors.

The election of the third-term Chief Executive by the EC was held on March 25, 2007. Mr Donald Tsang Yam-kuen was declared as returned at the election. On April 2, 2007, in accordance with the provisions of the Basic Law and the outcome of the election by the EC, the State Council of the PRC appointed Mr Tsang as the third- term Chief Executive, with his term of office commencing on July 1, 2007.

From February 2012, the number of EC seats will be increased to 1 200, comprising:

- 1 0342 members of 35 subsectors who are returned through elections;

1062 ex officio members who are Hong Kong deputies

deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) and members of the Legislative Council under the NPC subsector and the Legislative Council subsector respectively; and

60 members under the religious subsector who are nominated by six designated bodies.

The 2011 EC subsector elections were held on December 11, 2011. The new EC, with its term of office commencing on February 1, 2012, will elect the fourth- term Chief Executive on March 25, 2012. The term of office of the fourth-term Chief Executive will commence on July 1, 2012.

Timetable for Universal Suffrage and Amendments to Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive and Forming the Legislative Council in 2012

There is now a clear timetable for attaining universal suffrage in Hong Kong. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) promulgated a decision on December 29, 2007 making it clear that the Chief Executive may be elected by universal suffrage in 2017 and that the Legislative Council may be formed by universal suffrage in 2020. The NPCSC has made a positive response to the democratic aspirations of the people of Hong Kong. As reflected in opinion polls conducted by universities, the NPCSC decision was well accepted by the community. The NPCSC decision has also determined that appropriate amendments conforming to the principle of gradual and orderly progress may be made to the two electoral methods in 2012.

The proposed package for the 2012 elections was passed by a two-thirds. majority in the Legislative Council, given consent by the Chief Executive and endorsed by the NPCSC in the summer of 2010. This is an important milestone for

2 Since the number of the Legislative Council seats will increase from 60 to 70 in October 2012 when the fifth-term Legislative Council commences, 10 seats of 'Special Member' would be created temporarily in the fourth sector of the EC to make up the difference of 10 seats until the number of the Legislative Council seats increases to 70 in October 2012. As such, from February to September 2012, 1044 members of the EC will be returned through elections for 35 subsectors and the number of seats for ex officio members of the EC will be 96.

Hong Kong Public Libraries i