**Legislative Council President Andrew Leung Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election**
Legislative Council (LegCo) President Andrew Leung has announced that he will not run for another term in the upcoming patriots-only election scheduled for December.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Leung reflected on his nine years of service and the challenges the chamber has overcome during his tenure. “Frankly, I have discussed it with my family and taken into consideration my age, which is over 70, and I’ve decided not to run for the eighth-term LegCo,” he said, according to RTHK.
Leung highlighted the role LegCo has played in supporting both the central and SAR governments. “We led LegCo to assist the central and SAR governments to overcome the attacks from the opposition on the governance of the SAR and LegCo’s operations. We have comprehensively amended LegCo’s rules of procedure to eliminate things like filibustering, behaviour that’s anti-China and causes disruption to Hong Kong,” he added.
Praising lawmakers, Leung also noted the chamber’s increased legislative productivity. He said they have not only halted internal struggles and conflicts within LegCo but have also passed over 120 pieces of legislation during the current term—a figure that represents a 60 percent increase from the previous term. The only pending legislation is an amendment to the road traffic bill.
Last week, Leung stated that the final weeks of the current term would be carefully scheduled to clear remaining bills concerning public livelihood issues.
Leung was first elected as LegCo president during a chaotic session in 2016, amid the walkout of opposition lawmakers. In 2018, he described his leadership role as lonely amid disputes involving pro-democracy lawmakers. “As my predecessor has said, LegCo president is a lonely job. Sometimes I have no friends. Lonely I might be, but the decision I have made is impartial, and for the interests of the Legislative Council,” he said at that time.
On Monday, Leung expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve his industrial sector over the past 21 years and revealed plans to spend more time with his family and travel after stepping down.
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### Patriots-Only Chamber and Election Overhaul
In March 2021, Beijing passed legislation aimed at ensuring that only patriots govern Hong Kong. The move significantly reduced democratic representation in the legislature, tightened control over elections, and introduced a pro-Beijing vetting panel to screen candidates.
The Hong Kong government defended the overhaul, stating that it would guarantee the city’s stability and prosperity. However, the changes drew international condemnation for effectively making it nearly impossible for pro-democracy candidates to stand for election.
Earlier this month, a proposed bill by the Hong Kong government to grant limited recognition to same-sex partnerships failed to pass, with only 14 out of 86 lawmakers voting in favour. This marked the first time a bill was voted down since the legislative revamp, although Leung has previously denied that the chamber is merely a rubber-stamp parliament.
The nomination period for the December restricted election begins on October 24.
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https://hongkongfp.com/2025/09/30/legislative-president-andrew-leung-not-running-for-another-term-citing-age/
