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Constitution and Administration

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 consists of 1,200 members from four sectors 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.

Method for Selecting the Chief Executive by Universal Suffrage

On 31 August 2014, the Standing Committee of the NPC (NPCSC) adopted the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Issues Relating to the Selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region by Universal Suffrage and on the Method for Forming the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the Year 2016, formally determining that universal suffrage for the Chief Executive election through 'one person, one vote' could be implemented starting from 2017. The NPCSC decision also sets out a clear framework on the specific method for selecting the Chief Executive by universal suffrage.

The NPCSC decision is an important step forward in Hong Kong's constitutional development. By implementing universal suffrage for the Chief Executive election in 2017, five million eligible voters in Hong Kong will be able to elect the Chief Executive in 2017 through 'one person, one vote! As the next step, the government will submit a resolution to the Legislative Council in the second quarter of 2015 to amend Annex I to the Basic Law on the method for selecting the Chief Executive. Endorsement by a two-thirds majority of all council members is a necessary step for the implementation of universal suffrage for the Chief Executive election in 2017 in accordance with the law.

Electoral System for the District Councils

The HKSAR's 18 District Councils (DCs) advise the government on district affairs, and promote recreational and cultural activities and environmental improvements within the districts. A DC is composed of elected members, appointed members, and, in the case of DCs in the New Territories, the chairmen of rural committees as ex officio members.

The simple majority voting system is adopted for the DC elections. For the fourth-term councils (2012-2015), there are 412 DC constituencies, each represented by one elected member.

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