Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced on Friday that she was postponing the Sept. 6 election for the city's legislature for a year due to a spike in COVID-19 cases, striking what some consider as a blow for the pro-democracy opposition hoping to make gains.

The opposition had hoped to ride the wave of ongoing criticism of China's new national security law, imposed on the city on June 30, to win a majority in the Legislative Council, where half the seats are directly elected while the other half are filled mostly by pro-Beijing appointees.

The postponement also came after 12 pro-democracy candidates were disqualified from running, for reasons including perceived subversive intentions, opposition to the new security law and campaigning to win a legislation-blocking majority.

The election will now be held on Sept. 5, 2021.

For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/7238998/hong-kong-election-postpone-coronavirus/
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