Political situation
Written by: Peng Zhuowei
2020-08-15 07:00
Last update date: 2020-08-15 07:00The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress recently decided to extend the current term of the Legislative Council for no less than one year to solve the problem of the vacuum period caused by the Hong Kong government's postponement of the Legislative Council elections until September next year. In recent days, the fate of the democrats has become the focus. Some protesters have called on members of the democrats to collectively resign and boycott the parliament, but they have not yet reached a consensus on whether to leave or leave.
At present, there are 42 members of the establishment in the Legislative Council, which is more than the quorum of 35. If all the democrats do not stay in office, the establishment will have enough people to meet. It is worth noting that the Legislative Council passes different bills with different thresholds, and if two-thirds of the members in the seat approve, the members who have been sentenced to more than a month, misbehavior or violated the oath can be removed from their posts. In other words, if there are 3 members of the democratic party If they refuse to remain in office or above, the establishment is enough to have DQ members, including the Democratic Party Xu Zhifeng, who has been identified as having misbehavior earlier.
Recently, the democrats have become the focus of the Legislative Council in the next year. Some protesters have called on the democratic members to collectively resign and boycott the parliament, but they have not yet reached a consensus on whether to leave or leave.
At present, there are 24 members from the democratic camp, Zheng Songtai, a passionate citizen, and Chen Peiran from the medical profession, and 42 from the establishment camp. Zheng Songtai has taken the lead in stating that he will stay in office a few days ago, but the democrats have yet to make a decision.
The Legislative Council has different thresholds for passing different bills, which can be divided into the following four categories:
1. Examples of general government bills: Legislation on Article 23 of the Basic Law
Passing threshold: more than half of the present members agree
The current situation: The establishment has 42 members. Even if the democrats, along with the passionate citizen Zheng Songtai and Chen Peiran in the medical field, do not remain in office, the establishment has enough members to pass.
2. Political Reform
Pass threshold: two-thirds of all members (70 people) agree, that is, 47 people
The current situation: Since the establishment has only 42 members, even if the democrats, along with the passionate citizen Zheng Songtai and Chen Peiran in the medical field, do not remain in office, the establishment does not have enough people to pass.
3. Examples of Members' Motions and Bills: Amend the Rules of Procedure
Pass threshold: motions and bills proposed by members need to be directly elected by districts and approved by more than half of members of functional constituencies
The current situation: the pro-establishment faction holds more than half of the seats in regional direct elections and functional constituencies. Even if the democrats, together with the passionate citizen Zheng Songtai and the medical profession Chen Peiran, do not remain in office, the pro-establishment faction has enough numbers to pass.
4. Revocation of membership of the Legislative Council
Pass threshold: sentenced to more than 1 month in prison, misconduct or breach of oath, and approved by two-thirds of the members present (calculated by 66 people, that is, 44 people)
Current status: Since the establishment has only 42 members, there is not enough number to pass, but if 3 or more of the democrats refuse to stay in office, the establishment will be enough for the threshold DQ members
During the meeting of the Legislative Council’s Bills Committee on the “Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High Speed Rail (Single Site Two Inspection) Bill” in April 2018, the Democratic Party was suspected of stealing the mobile phone and documents of a female Security Bureau staff member from the second floor of the Legislative Council. Later, the parliament launched a sniper attack and set up an investigation committee to investigate the incident. After more than a year of investigation, the committee believed that the established facts stated in the condemnation motion were sufficient to condemn Xu Zhifeng.
After the committee has completed its work, if two-thirds of the Legislative Council members pass the motion of condemnation, the President of the Legislative Council can declare Xu Zhifeng's disqualification as a member of the Legislative Council. Xu Zhifeng could have escaped by the end of the session, but due to the current extension of the sixth legislative session, it is expected that Xu Zhifeng's seat will become an important consideration for the democrats to stay in office.
Xu Zhifeng’s mobile phone robbery case was investigated and said that there are sufficient grounds to condemn if two-thirds of the members pass the DQ
Mai Meijuan: I am sorry if the motion condemning Xu Zhifeng has not been dealt with. Xu: Justice is in the hearts of the people
Democratic Party of the Legislative Council
