The new term of the Legislative Assembly (AL) starts today, when its 33 members will take their oaths overseen by Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On.
At the same time the president, the vice-president, the first secretary and the second secretary of the legislature’s executive board will be elected.
The oath-taking ceremony will take place at midday at Government Headquarters, before lawmakers attend a plenary session in the legislature’s hemicycle in the afternoon where they will vote for the four positions on the executive board.
The newly-elected president of the legislature will then take an oath of office at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM) in Nape in the afternoon, also overseen by Chui.
The legislature comprises 14 directly-elected and 12 indirectly-elected members as well as seven members appointed by the chief executive. The composition of the legislature remains the same as in the previous term (2013-2017).
The direct and indirect legislative elections took place on September 17. Chui appointed seven legislators late last month.
When the direct and indirect elections of the legislature first took place in 2001 after the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) on December 20, 1999, the legislature comprised 10 directly-elected and 10 indirectly-elected members as well as seven chief executive-appointed legislators.
In the direct election by popular vote last month, three newcomers won seats in the legislature while two lawmakers failed in their re-election bids.
There are six newly appointed lawmakers. Businessman Ma Chi Seng is the only re-appointed lawmaker
The first term of the legislature of the MSAR, which ran from the MSAR Establishment Day to 2001, was a continuation of the last term of the legislature under the city’s then Portuguese administration.
According to the Macau Post Daily it is widely expected that businessman Ho Iat Seng will be re-elected president of the legislature. Ho is Macau’s only deputy to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing.
