Preliminary candidate lists for Macao’s direct and indirect legislative elections on 14 September are now public, according to multiple media reports.
The Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (known as CAEAL after its Portuguese abbreviation) says 84 individuals from eight different lists are vying for the 14 directly-elected seats, while 14 candidates from six lists are competing for the 12 indirectly-elected seats. These figures are subject to final confirmation following a qualification vetting process.
The 33-member Legislative Assembly (AL) in Macao comprises three distinct components: 14 members are directly elected by universal suffrage, 12 are indirectly elected by representatives of various associations, and seven are appointed by the Chief Executive after the direct and indirect elections have concluded.
For the upcoming direct election, each of the eight submitted lists must field a minimum of four and a maximum of 14 candidates. If all 84 candidates are confirmed, this will equate to six candidates competing for each directly-elected seat. This marks a reduction in competition compared to the 2021 election, when 126 candidates from 14 lists contested the same number of seats, averaging nine candidates per seat.
The eight direct election lists, ordered by time of submission, are from the following parties: Macau United Citizens Association (ACUM), Union for Development (UPD), Progress Promotion Union (UPP), Macau Creating People’s Livelihood Force, Power of Synergy, Alliance for a Happy Home, New Hope, and Macau-Guangdong Union (UMG).
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The 12 indirectly-elected seats are allocated across five functional constituencies: four seats for the industrial, commercial, and financial sector; three for the professional sector; two for the labour sector; two for the cultural and sports sector; and one for the social services and educational sector. Each indirect election list must field a number of candidates equal to the respective sector’s seat allocation.
Of the six lists competing for the indirectly-elected seats, only the labour sector will see competition, with two lists – the Joint Candidacy Committee of Employees’ Associations and the Union of Workers’ Associations – fielding a total of four candidates for its two seats.
For all other four sectors, only one list has been submitted, meaning their candidates are currently slated to be elected uncontested. These uncontested lists include those from the Union of Macau Business Interests for the industrial, commercial, and financial sector; the Union of Macau Professionals’ Interests for the professional sector; the Rising Sun Cultural and Sports Union for the cultural and sports sector; and the Social Service and Education Promotion Association for the social services and educational sector.
Details of all 98 preliminary candidates are now publicly displayed at the Public Administration Building on Rua do Campo and the CAEAL will proceed with assessing the qualifications of all candidates. Part of this process involves requesting the Macao Special Administrative Region’s (MSAR) Committee for Safeguarding National Security to determine whether candidates “uphold the MSAR Basic Law and bear allegiance to the MSAR.”
According to the official electoral schedule, the CAEAL is expected to announce its list of accepted candidates by 15 July. If no objections are lodged against this decision, the final list of accepted candidates will be announced by 18 July. However, should appeals be made to the Court of Final Appeal (TUI) against the commission’s decision, the final list will be confirmed by 31 July, following the court’s ruling.
This article was drafted by AI before being reviewed by an editor.
