Commentary The upcoming legislative election in Hong Kong will be the first one held since the enactment of the national security law (NSL) and the reconstruction of the electoral system, which will effectively bar pro-democracy lawmakers from getting elected. The new electoral system has several mechanisms that will ensure that the opposition will never be able to get close to any public offices, according to Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office. Foremost is the installation of a political vetting system. Anyone who wants to take part in the election must be first vetted by a committee, the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee (CERC), headed by the chief secretary who was formerly chief of police.  Members of CERC include the incumbent police chief and the head of the national security branch of the police force. The CERC will judge each potential candidate to decide whether he or …