Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Monday, 4 April, said that she would not be seeking a second term as the leader of the semiautonomous Chinese city.
"I will complete my five-year term as chief executive on the 30th of June this year, and I will also call an end to my 42 years of public service," Lam said at a news conference, news agency AP reported.
Her successor will be picked in May.
Lam, who became the chief executive in 2017, said her decision was "entirely" based on family considerations. "They think it is time for me to go home... Family is the most important part of me," she was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post newspaper.
"It's not a question of evaluating my performance or the performance of the Hong Kong government in this term," she added. Lam had seen massive protests against her government in 2019, with many calling for her resignation.
Following the protests, Lam's government had overseen the implementation of a contentious national security law to curb dissent.
The Hong Kong leader said that she had conveyed her decision to Beijing last year, and that the central government has responded with "respect and understanding," as per AP.
Meanwhile, the deadline for a candidate to submit their nomination form for the chief executive position is 5 pm on 14 April, according to the Electoral Affairs Commission. Hong Kong's chief executive is elected by a committee made up of lawmakers, and pro-Beijing representatives such as Hong Kong deputies to China, representatives of various industries and professions.
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