HONG KONG, Sept 20 (Reuters) – Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam resigned on Tuesday, a shock move that leaves the global financial hub with an uncertain future amid political turmoil, an economic downturn and the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lam, who became Hong Kong’s first female leader in 2017, had been under intense pressure to resign after her government’s handling of anti-government protests in 2019, which plunged the city into its worst political crisis in decades.
She is the third Hong Kong leader to resign before the end of their five-year term, following Donald Tsang in 2012 and Tung Chee-hwa in 2005.
Lam’s resignation comes at a time when Hong Kong is facing a number of challenges, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a deepening economic recession and rising political tensions with mainland China.
It is unclear who will succeed Lam as Hong Kong’s leader. A new leader is expected to be chosen by a 1,200-member election committee, which is dominated by pro-Beijing figures.
Lam’s resignation is a major blow to the Hong Kong government, which has been struggling to quell the city’s political unrest.
The protests, which began in 2019, were sparked by a controversial extradition bill that would have allowed Hong Kong residents to be sent to mainland China for trial.
The government’s handling of the protests was widely criticized, and Lam’s popularity plummeted.
In 2020, the Chinese government imposed a national security law on Hong Kong, which has been used to crack down on dissent and further erode the city’s autonomy.
Lam’s resignation is likely to further destabilize Hong Kong and raise questions about the city’s future.
The Chinese government has repeatedly said that it is committed to upholding Hong Kong’s autonomy and its way of life under the .
