Macao on the 15th (local time) held its first Legislative Assembly (parliament) election since changing the system to allow only pro-China candidates to run. The Chinese government and pro-China media assessed it as a democratic festival where the principle of "patriots governing Macao" was successfully realized. In contrast, Western media and the pro-democracy camp harshly criticized it as a "funeral for democracy," saying that, as in Hong Kong, a Chinese-style "controlled election" was grafted in, prompting voters to resist by shunning the polls and casting invalid ballots.
According to the Macao Electoral Affairs Commission on the 16th, a total of 175,272 people voted in this election. It was the highest turnout among the eight Legislative Assembly elections held since Macao was handed over from Portugal to China in 1999. The number of permanent residents who have migrated from mainland China to Macao has steadily increased over the past five years. Macao grants permanent residency to immigrants who have ordinarily resided there for seven consecutive years. Permanent residents of Macao can register as voters.
To encourage voting, the Macao government operated public transportation free of charge on election day. Casino companies that support Macao's economy deployed shuttle buses to ferry employees to polling stations. Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng personally urged civil servants to take part, saying, "Voting is an act of pledging allegiance to the Basic Law and the Special Administrative Region."
However, despite these efforts, the voter turnout in this election was only 53.35%. It was the third-lowest on record in the history of the overall elections. Although a record number of people voted, the turnout itself was low, producing a contradictory result.
In particular, blank ballots and invalid ballots poured in at a record scale in this election. According to the tally by the Macao Electoral Affairs Commission, there were 5,987 blank ballots, and 7,077 invalid ballots that were intentionally defaced or violated marking rules. Combined, they totaled 13,064 ballots. That corresponds to about 7.5% of all votes cast. It jumped more than 1.5 times compared with the 2021 election immediately prior. According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), the invalid ballot rate in ordinary democracies is usually 0.5% and rarely exceeds 3%.
Political experts interpreted this as voters choosing to vote while actively expressing that they had no candidate to support. Political scientist Eric Sautede told AFP, "(This election's turnout) is a perfect example of the expression 'voting with one's feet.'" Voting with one's feet refers to the act of voters dissatisfied with the electoral system or candidates expressing opposition by abstaining or casting invalid ballots. A 38-year-old voter who requested anonymity told AFP, "There is no longer genuine politics in Macao," adding, "Politics should have public debate, dissenting voices, and at least some different opinions, but now there is nothing."
Behind Macao voters' cynical response to this election lies the electoral law amended in 2024. The law was enacted based on the principle of "patriots administering Macao." Under the new electoral law, all candidates for the Legislative Assembly must pass a qualification review conducted by the National Security Defense Commission. If the commission determines that a candidate "does not uphold the Basic Law of Macao and is not loyal to the Macao Special Administrative Region," it strips the candidate of eligibility. No legal appeal is possible against the commission's decisions.
Ahead of this year's election, the commission disqualified en masse candidates categorized as so-called "pro-democracy." All 12 candidates fielded by two coalition groups—the Synergy Power, which includes incumbent legislator Ron Lam U Tou, and Macau Creating Civic Power led by Alberto Wong—were stripped of their eligibility. With the pro-democracy candidates wiped out, the number of slates vying for the 14 directly and indirectly elected seats in this election was six, the fewest since Macao's 1999 handover. Legislator Ron Lam, who was disqualified, said, "I have no pangs of conscience. I believe that sunshine always follows a storm."
Before that, in Jul., Macao authorities arrested former pro-democracy legislator Au Kam San on suspicion of violating the national security law. Au Kam San is a symbol of the pro-democracy camp who led Macao's democratization movement for decades. Authorities said he colluded with overseas anti-China groups and continuously displayed false and inflammatory materials. It was the first case in which the national security law was applied in Macao. He is currently under investigation in detention without bail. Human Rights Watch (HRW) interpreted that, as in Hong Kong, the crackdown on political opposition in Macao entered full swing after Au Kam San's arrest. The European Union (EU) also issued a statement criticizing the case, saying it "adds to concerns about the ongoing infringement of political pluralism and freedom of expression in Macao."
On top of the controversy that political space has narrowed, views of this election's outcome were starkly divided. Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng said, "This election strictly adhered to the principle of 'patriots governing.'" A Spokesperson for the China State Council's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office also assessed, "The high enthusiasm for voting reflects a healthy and positive atmosphere of high-quality democracy in Macao." Pro-China scholar Tu Haiming told the state-run China Daily that "ensuring only patriots enter the Legislative Assembly has made residents' lives better and strengthened social harmony."
Opponents, on the other hand, worried that the vote would reduce the Macao Legislative Assembly to a "rubber stamp" that unconditionally passes Chinese government policies. Ailo Yu, a former professor in the Department of Public Administration at the University of Macau, told AFP, "The disqualification cases that unfolded ahead of the election show one facet of the Chinese government's attempt to suppress dissenting voices within the Legislative Assembly." He added, "Macao voters currently retain limited choices, but that power will gradually narrow in the future," and "the Legislative Assembly will also be reduced to a rubber stamp."