President of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong

President of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong 香港特別行政區立法會主席
Emblem of Hong Kong
Incumbent Jasper Tsang since 8 October 2008
Nominator	Legislative Council
Appointer	Legislative Council
Term length	4 years
Inaugural holder	Henry Pottinger John Joseph Swaine
Formation	1843（Governor） 1993（non-Governor）

The President of the Legislative Council (Chinese: 香港特別行政區立法會主席) is the speaker of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. According to the Article 71 of the Hong Kong Basic Law, the President of the Legislative Council is elected by and from among Legislative Council members, plays the presiding role, administrative role and ceremonial role, and ensures the smooth conduct of the Legislative Council meetings.^[1]

History

From the establishment of the council in 1843 to 1993, the President of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong was the Governor. In 1991, a Deputy President, Sir John Joseph Swaine, was appointed by the governor from among the members to chair the sittings. The governor remained president and member, but systematically absented himself from most of the sittings. In February 1993, the governor ceased to be member and president of the council. The presidency was handed over to a member elected from among the unofficial members.

Eligibility

Under the current system, the President shall be a Chinese citizen and permanent resident of Hong Kong SAR of not less than 40 years of age, with no right of abode in any foreign country and has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for continuous period of not less than 20 years.^[1]

Roles

Under the Article 66 to 79 in the Basic Law, the Legislative Council Commission Ordinance Cap. 443, the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance Cap. 382 and the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (RoP), the President performs the following roles in the Council:

Presiding role

The President presides over Council meetings and ensures that businesses are transacted in an orderly way during the Council meetings. In the absence of the President, the chairman of the House Committee serves as deputy to the President.

The President determines the day and hours of the meetings. He or she may change agenda, suspend a meeting, and call a special meeting, or adjourn the Legislative Council.^[1]

The President shall call emergency meetings at the request of the Chief Executive.

The President is responsible for the observance of the rules of order in the Legislative Council and his or her decision on a point of order shall be final.^[1]

Administrative role

The President is also the chairman of the Legislative Council Commission, a statutory body and provides administrative support and services for the Legislative Council and its members through the Legislative Council secretariat.

The Legislative Council Commission determines the organization and administration of support services and facilities, formulate and execute polices on their effective operation and expand funds in ways it see fit to support these activities.^[1]

Ceremonial role

The President is accorded the sixth place in the official precedence list following the Chief Executive, the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary and the Secretary for Justice. He or she is the representative of the Legislative Council on ceremonial and formal occasions.^[1]

List of presidents

British Colonial period (1843–1941)

Before 1993, the Legislative Council was presided by the Governor of Hong Kong.

Japanese occupation period (1941–1945)

From 25 December 1941 to 30 August 1945, the office was suspended due to Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong. The representative advisory bodies during the time were Chinese Representative Council and Chinese Cooperative Council.

Restoration to the British rule (1946–1997)

Before 1993, the Legislative Council was presided by the Governor of Hong Kong. The President was elected among members of the Legislative Council after the last Governor Chris Patten gave up the power of presidency.

Politiical party:       Nonpartisan

	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Term of office			Political Party	Constituency	Ref
			Took office	Left office	Duration
		Sir John Joseph Swaine 施偉賢 (1932–2012)	19 February 1993	30 September 1995	2 years, 223 days	Nonpartisan	Appointed
		Andrew Wong Wang-fat 黃宏發 (1943–)	11 October 1995	26 June 1997	1 year, 258 days	Nonpartisan	New Territories South-east

Provisional Legislative Council (1997–1998)

• Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai (2 July 1997 – 30 June 1998)

SAR Legislative Council (1998–present)

Politiical party:       Nonpartisan       Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB)

№	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Term of office			Political Party	Constituency	Assembly	Ref
			Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai 范徐麗泰 (1945–)	2 July 1998	30 September 2008	10 years, 90 days	Nonpartisan (Pro-Beijing)	Election Committee	1st
								2nd
							Hong Kong Island	3rd
2		Jasper Tsang Yok-sing 曾鈺成 (1947–)	8 October 2008	Incumbent	7 years, 103 days	Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong	Hong Kong Island	4th
								5th

References

1. "Legislative Council In Brief No. 2/2012-13", Legislative Council of Hong Kong