14-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Lawmakers against LGBTQ rights bill shouldn't stoop to fearmongering
On Wednesday, the Hong Kong government will
introduce a bill to recognise same-sex partnerships, despite opposition from some powerful political groups. The move is the government's answer to
a landmark court ruling by the Court of Final Appeal in 2023.
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The court gave authorities two years to draw up laws to sort out the rights of same-sex couples by October 27, finding the government in violation of Hong Kong's Bill of Rights. The government has wisely decided that now is the right time to push it through, or at least try to.
As we approach the
Legislative Council elections in December, lawmakers will not be meeting after October 22. This is likely why lawmakers shortened their summer break this year. Out of practicality, the government must do it now to meet the court's deadline.
As to why the government couldn't do it earlier, I think most Hongkongers know why. Mentioning anything concerning 'same sex' automatically triggers some lawmakers to go berserk, as we have witnessed for years. When the government gave Legco a heads-up about the bill
earlier this month , the usual suspects raised hell as expected.
With election season just around the corner, the government can bet on even more political theatrics from these lawmakers. Waiting to introduce the bill after the shortened summer recess would risk having their displays of disaffection steal the limelight from the chief executive's policy address in September. Our 'results-oriented' chief executive would likely prefer not to have to deal with such a distraction.
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