Former deputy director of the Basic Law Committee, Elsie Leung, on Sunday threw her support behind proposals to expel district councilors — predominantly pro-democracy politicians — from a Hong Kong panel that selects the city’s leader, while giving their places to Beijing loyalists.

Leung, also a former Hong Kong justice minister, questioned whether any of the 117 district councilors were fit to remain in the 1,200-strong Election Committee, saying the councils were merely responsible for municipal affairs instead of being part of a political organization.

“Even if [we] don’t move all of them out, should we reduce their number [in the committee]?” she said during a Commercial Radio talk show on Sunday. Replacements could be found from Hong Kong delegates to the national advisory body and other Beijing loyalists, Leung said.

Her remarks came as Beijing looked likely to introduce sweeping reforms that would eliminate district councilors from the Election Committee and block pro-democracy politicians from running in elections.

Such reforms were merely targeting people who hurt the interests of the nation and Hong Kong but not pro-democracy groups, Leung said, adding that anyone could amend themselves anytime so they could qualify to run for election and be appointed to positions.

Pro-democracy groups won more than 80% of District Council seats in a 2019 election, an outcome that Leung said was entirely unexpected for the pro-Beijing camp. She described the election results as “twisted,” arguing that pro-democracy groups only won about 57% of votes.

In 2010, Leung was a vocal advocate of a government proposal to add 10 new directly elected seats to Hong Kong’s legislature, including five seats contested by district councilors.

But on Sunday, she denied having taken an active role in promoting the reform package.

Former chief executive Leung Chun-ying also joined the chorus of support for a drastic tightening on Hong Kong elections. He said it was necessary to ensure that Hong Kong was ruled by “patriots,” otherwise the city would see endless chaos.

He blamed pro-democracy groups for asking the United States to impose sanctions on China and Hong Kong. Steps must be taken to keep them out of elections in the future, Leung said.

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