ENG-2012 — Page 34

1

Constitution and Administration

The electorate of functional constituencies which represent professional groups is generally based on membership of professions with recognised qualifications, including statutory qualifications. The electorate of functional constituencies representing economic or social groups is generally made up of corporate members of major organisations representative of the relevant sectors.

A candidate in a functional constituency must satisfy the same age and residential requirements as for a geographical constituency election, be a registered elector, and be a registered elector of, or have a substantial connection with, the relevant functional constituency. To give due recognition to the significant contribution made by foreign nationals and the fact that Hong Kong is an international city, permanent residents of the HKSAR who are not of Chinese nationality or who have right of abode in foreign countries may stand for election in 12 designated functional constituencies (functional constituencies 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23 above).

Over 1.83 million registered electors cast their votes at the election for the fifth-term Legislative Council on 9 September 2012, representing a turnout rate of 53 per cent.

Electoral System for the Chief Executive

In accordance with the Basic Law, the Chief Executive is elected by an Election Committee (EC). The EC for the term up to January 2017 is composed of 1,200 members from four sectors which are in turn composed of 38 subsectors:

- 1,034 members from 35 subsectors who are returned through elections;

- 106 ex officio members who are Hong Kong 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 election of the fourth-term Chief Executive by the EC was held on 25 March 2012. Mr Leung Chun-ying was declared as returned at the election. On 28 March 2012, 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 Leung as the fourth-term Chief Executive, with his term of office commencing on 1 July 2012.

Timetable for Universal Suffrage and Methods for Forming the Legislative Council in 2016 and for Electing the Chief Executive in 2017

There is now a clear timetable for attaining universal suffrage in Hong Kong. The Standing Committee of the NPC promulgated a decision on 29 December 2007 making it clear that universal suffrage may be implemented for electing the Chief Executive in 2017 and following that, all members of the Legislative Council may be returned by universal suffrage.

10