Sonin V.V. Taming the Trojan Horse: Screening Procedures at the Chief Executive Elections in Hong Kong

Abstract: Throughout the history of colonial Hong Kong state officials were being appointed by the British government. On the eve of the restoration of Chinese sovereignty elections were introduced by British administration as a guarantee of maintaining existing economic and social order of Hong Kong. The ongoing electoral reform involves the introduction of direct election of the Chief Executive in 2017. It is planned to use "electoral filters" (screening procedures), including nomination of candidates by Nomination Committee, and the right of the central government to appoint the elected candidate for the post, which are the subject of research. Author makes a comparative analysis between certain elements of electoral law in colonial Hong Kong and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of PRC in this paper. Some actual Chinese and English-language sources on the election law in Hong Kong are introduced to Russian readers for the first time. Analysis of the history of Hong Kong's electoral system and reasons for electoral reform indicates adequacy of projected institutions to the local electoral and political culture in its relationship with Chinese national political system and legal order.

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