Macau's first 'patriots' election sees low turnout ...Middle East

The Chinese casino hub -- with a population just shy of 700,000 -- amended its election laws in 2024, giving national security officials the final say on candidates' eligibility.

Officials said it was the highest number of votes cast in a legislative election since Macau reverted to Chinese rule in 1999.

Political scientist Eric Sautede told AFP that Sunday’s turnout was a “perfect illustration of the expression ‘voting with one’s feet’.”

The elections strictly adhered to the fundamental principle of “patriots governing Macau”, city leader Sam Hou-fai said in a Monday statement.

Macau, which has its own legal system largely based on Portuguese law, enacted national security legislation in 2009 and widened its powers in 2023.

That same month, authorities arrested ex-legislator Au Kam-san for alleged foreign collusion -- the first known use of the city's national security law.

An AFP reporter saw shuttle buses operated by casinos -- some of the city's largest employers -- ferrying workers to polling stations.

Only six candidate lists were offered on the direct election ballot, the fewest since the handover.

“Even if I had a voter card, I wouldn’t particularly want to vote. There’s no real politics in Macau anymore,“ he told AFP.

Eilo Yu, a former professor of government at University of Macau, told AFP that despite the high number of invalid votes, the turnout figures were “acceptable” to Beijing.

“Voters in Macau currently retain some choice. But I believe the trend is towards progressively narrowing that space,“ he said - AFP

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