Two more electoral Lists have submitted their candidates and political platforms to the Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission for the direct legislative election on 12 September.
Both the Macao-Guangdong Union (UMG) and Union for Development (UPD) ran in the 2017 election when 25 candidacy lists vied for the 14 seats at stake.
A total of 19 electoral Lists will run in the upcoming direct election.
In the election four years ago, the Macao-Guangdong Union List won the most votes, at 17,214, getting its first- and second-ranked candidates elected – current lawmakers Mak Soi Kun and Zheng Anting. Both are senior board members of the Macao Jiangmen Communal Society.
Four years ago, the Union for Development List garnered the second-highest number of votes, 16,696, also getting its number-one and number-two candidates elected – sitting lawmaker Ella Lei Cheng I and Leong Sun Iok. Both are senior board members of the Macao Federation of Trade Unions.
For the upcoming election, the Macao-Guangdong Union List comprises 13 candidates, while the Union for Development List consists of 12 candidates.
Mak, the number-one candidate of the Macao-Guangdong Union List four years ago, will not seek re-election this time, so the List’s first-ranked candidate is Zheng Anting.
Both Lei and Leong will seek re-election, being the top two candidates of the Union for Development List this time.
Zheng said that his electoral List would focus on financial support measures for the unemployed and the underemployed, housing projects for senior citizens, sandwich class housing and public administration reforms.
Zheng said that his electoral List’s “objective will be achieved” if it gets two seats, as the competition this time is expected to be stronger than four years ago.
Lei said that her electoral List would focus on improved policies on housing, workers’ rights and benefits, training local professionals, the social security system and education for young people.
Leong Iok Wa, the official representative of the Union for Development List, acknowledged the very strong competition for the direct election this time, pledging that her electoral List would strive to ensure that it will get two seats this time.
