Hong Kong will elect the next head of the city, known as the chief executive, for a five-year term on 26 March. This is the first election for the city’s top job since dissatisfaction with the pace of democratisation sparked widespread street protests in 2014. The chief executive wields significant power in the former British colony, but has little accountability to ordinary citizens since the post is elected by a committee of only 1,200, far less than the city’s 3.8 million registered voters. The current highly divisive incumbent Leung Chun-ying is not seeking reelection so the field is wide open. Read more
