Legislative Council of Hong Kong

Legislative Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 香港特別行政區立法會
7th Legislative Council
Type
Type	Unicameral
History
Founded	26 June 1843; 181 years ago (1843-06-26) (colonial) 25 January 1997; 27 years ago (1997-01-25) (provisional) 1 July 1998; 26 years ago (1998-07-01) (HKSAR)
Preceded by	Provisional Legislative Council
Leadership
President	Andrew Leung, BPA since 12 October 2016
Structure
Seats	90
Political groups	Pro-Beijing (88)   DAB (19)   BPA (8)   FTU (7)   NPP (6)   Liberal (4)   FEW (2)   FLU (2)   Roundtable (1)   PP (1)   KWND (1)   New Prospect (1)   New Forum (1)   Independent (35) Centrist (1)   Third Side (1) Vacant (1)
Elections
Voting system	Multiple non-transferable vote (EC) First-past-the-post (FCs) Single non-transferable vote (GCs)[1]
Last general election	19 December 2021
Next general election	2025
Meeting place
Legislative Council Complex, 1 Legislative Council Road, Tamar, Central & Western District, Hong Kong
Website
legco.gov.hk

Legislative Council of Hong Kong
The Legislative Council Complex since 2011
Traditional Chinese	香港特別行政區立法會
Simplified Chinese	香港特别行政区立法会
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xiānggǎng Tèbiéxíngzhèngqū Lìfǎhuì Bopomofo ㄒㄧㄤ   ㄍㄤˇ   ㄊㄜˋ   ㄅㄧㄝˊ   ㄒㄧㄥˊ   ㄓㄥˋ   ㄑㄩ   ㄌㄧˋ   ㄈㄚˇ   ㄏㄨㄟˋ Wade–Giles Hsiang1-kang2 Tʻe4-pieh2 Hsing2-cheng4-chʻü1 Li4-fa3 Hui4 Tongyong Pinyin Sianggǎng Tè-bié-síng-jhèng-cyu Lì-fǎ-huèi IPA [ɕjáŋ.kàŋ tʰɤ̂.pjě.ɕǐŋ.ʈʂə̂ŋ.tɕʰý lî.fà.xwêɪ] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Hēung góng dahk biht hàhng jing kēui laahp faat wúih Jyutping hoeng1 gong2 dak6 bit6 hang4 zing3 keoi1 lap6 faat3 wui6 IPA [hœŋ˥ kɔŋ˧˥ tɐk̚˨ pit̚˨ hɐŋ˩ tsɪŋ˧ kʰɵɥ˥ lɐp̚˨ fat̚˧ wuj˨]
Legislative Council
Traditional Chinese	立法會
Simplified Chinese	立法会
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Lìfǎhuì Bopomofo ㄌㄧˋ   ㄈㄚˇ   ㄏㄨㄟˋ Wade–Giles Li4-fa3-hui4 Tongyong Pinyin Lì-fǎ-huèi IPA [lî.fà.xwêɪ] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Laahp faat wúih Jyutping laap6 faat3 wui5 IPA [lɐp̚˨ fat̚˧ wuj˨]
Name before 1997
Chinese	立法局
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Lìfǎjú Bopomofo ㄌㄧˋ   ㄈㄚˇ   ㄐㄩˊ Wade–Giles Li4-fa3-chü2 Tongyong Pinyin Lì-fǎ-jyú IPA [lî.fà.tɕy̌] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Laahp faat guhk Jyutping laap6 faat3 guk6 IPA [lɐp̚˨ fat̚˧ kʊk̚˨]

Politics and government of Hong Kong

Laws Basic Law Drafting Committee Consultative Committee Article 23 (national security laws) 2020 law 2024 law Article 45 Article 46 Article 69 One country, two systems Sino–British Joint Declaration Criminal law Capital punishment in Hong Kong Criminal procedure Jury system Law enforcement in Hong Kong Human rights LGBT rights in Hong Kong Internet censorship in Hong Kong

Executive Chief Executive: John Lee Office of the Chief Executive Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR Principal officials Chief Secretary: Eric Chan Financial Secretary: Paul Chan Secretary for Justice: Paul Lam Executive Council Convenor: Regina Ip Government Secretariat and Government agencies Civil Service Bureau Joint Secretariat for the Advisory Bodies on Civil Service and Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau Registration and Electoral Office Offices in the Mainland and Taiwan Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau Leisure and Cultural Services Department Tourism Commission Education Bureau University Grants Committee Secretariat Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency Environment and Ecology Bureau Environmental Protection Department Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Hong Kong Observatory Government Laboratory Health Bureau Department of Health Home and Youth Affairs Bureau Home Affairs Department Information Services Department Labour and Welfare Bureau Social Welfare Department Security Bureau Hong Kong Police Force Hong Kong Fire Services Department Correctional Services Department Customs and Excise Department Immigration Department Government Flying Service Civil Aid Service Auxiliary Medical Service Transport and Logistics Bureau Transport Department Civil Aviation Department Highways Department Marine Department Housing Bureau Housing Department Commerce and Economic Development Bureau Intellectual Property Department Invest Hong Kong Office of the Communications Authority Post Office Trade and Industry Department Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (Overseas) Radio Television Hong Kong Development Bureau Architectural Services Department Buildings Department Civil Engineering and Development Department Drainage Services Department Electrical and Mechanical Services Department Lands Department Land Registry Planning Department Water Supplies Department Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau Census and Statistics Department Companies Registry Government Logistics Department Government Property Agency Inland Revenue Department Official Receiver's Office Rating and Valuation Department Treasury Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau Efficiency Office Office of the Government Chief Information Officer Innovation and Technology Commission Hong Kong Civil Service Administrative Officer Political Appointments System

Legislature Legislative Council President: Andrew Leung List of Members of the Legislative Council Political camps: Pro-Beijing camp Pro-democracy camp Localist camp

Judiciary Court of Final Appeal Chief Justice: Andrew Cheung High Court Chief Judge: Jeremy Poon Court of Appeal President of the Court of Appeal Court of First Instance District Court Chief District Judge: Justin Ko Magistrates' Court Chief Magistrate: So Wai-tak Special courts and tribunals: Coroner’s Court Labour Tribunal Lands Tribunal Market Misconduct Tribunal Obscene Articles Tribunal Small Claims Tribunal

Districts District Officers District Councils Central and Western Eastern Islands Kowloon City Kwai Tsing Kwun Tong North Sai Kung Sha Tin Sham Shui Po Southern Tai Po Tsuen Wan Tuen Mun Wan Chai Wong Tai Sin Yau Tsim Mong Yuen Long Area committees

Elections Electoral Affairs Commission Registration and Electoral Office Chief Executive Elections Election Committee Legislative elections Geographical Constituencies Functional Constituencies Election Committee Constituency District council elections List of constituencies of Hong Kong Political parties Universal suffrage

Foreign relations Documents Hong Kong identity card HKSAR Passport BNO Passport Consular missions in Hong Kong Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Hong Kong–United Kingdom relations Hong Kong–United States relations Hong Kong–Philippines relations Hong Kong–Singapore relations Hong Kong–China relations Hong Kong Liaison Office Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement Hong Kong–Taiwan relations Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office Hong Kong–Taiwan Economic and Cultural Co-operation and Promotion Council

Related topics Culture Economy Education Geography History Hong Kong portal

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The Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, colloquially known as LegCo, is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong. It sits under China's "one country, two systems" constitutional arrangement, and is the power centre of Hong Kong's hybrid representative democracy, though popular representation in the legislature has diminished significantly in recent years, along with its political diversity.^[2][3]

The functions of the Legislative Council are to enact, amend or repeal laws; examine and approve budgets, taxation and public expenditure; and raise questions on the work of the government. In addition, the Legislative Council also has the power to endorse the appointment and removal of the judges of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal and the Chief Judge of the High Court, as well as the power to impeach the Chief Executive of Hong Kong.^[4][5]

Following the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, the National People's Congress disqualified several opposition councillors and initiated an electoral overhaul in 2021. The current Legislative Council consists of three groups of constituencies—geographical constituencies (GCs), functional constituencies (FCs), and Election Committee constituencies—and has been dominated by the pro-Beijing camp since an opposition walkout in 2020.^[6] The 2021 changes resulted in a drop in the share of directly elected representatives from 50% to 22% and an increase in the overall number of seats from 70 to 90, along with the establishment of a screening committee to vet candidates.^[6]

The original two groups (GCs and FCs) had constitutional significance. Government bills requires a simple majority of the council for passage, whereas private member bills requires simple majorities in two discrete divisions of geographical members and functional members for passage. Therefore, the directly elected legislators (mainly from the GCs) had minimal influence over government policy and legislative agenda.^{[citation needed]}

The historical Legislative Council of Hong Kong in the British colonial era was created under the 1843 Charter as an advisory council to the Governor. The authority of the colonial legislature expanded throughout its history.^[5] A parallel Provisional Legislative Council was put in place by China from 1996 to 1998 to pass laws in anticipation of the Hong Kong handover.