Pro-Beijing candidates won Hong Kong’s legislative elections, its first public poll after Beijing passed a resolution to amend the city’s election laws despite low voter turnout. 

The turnout on Sunday’s legislative elections was the lowest recorded since the city’s return to China from British rule over two decades ago. Observers noted that the low voter turnout by the voters showed a general political apathy.  

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam during a news conference on Monday said she was “satisfied” with the election despite a 30.2 per cent voter turnout. 

Hong Kong’s government postponed legislative elections scheduled for last September by a year, citing the pandemic. 

The city will pick its chief executive next year. 

Ms Lam, who has a low public-approval rating, has not announced her intention to run for a second five-year term.

In June, China’s top legislature imposed a national security law on the city in response to massive pro-democracy protests, stripping Hong Kong of its judicial autonomy and making it easier for demonstrators and activists to be prosecuted.

Authorities have arrested over 100 pro-democracy figures, including leaders of many opposition groups. Authorities have also disqualified pro-democracy politicians from the Hong Kong legislature.

In June, a clampdown by the authorities saw the shut down of Hong Kong’s Apple Daily, Police detained the chief editor and five other executives, and company-linked assets were frozen. Two editors were then charged with conspiracy to collude with a foreign country, and their bails were denied on Saturday.

The editor-in-chief and four other executives were arrested from their homes and had HK$18m ($2.3 million; £1.64 million) worth in assets frozen.