Elections 2021 | Second election debate session more heated than first

The second televised election debate held yesterday saw more heat and confrontation than the first session.
Yesterday’s session was the stage for list numbers six to 10. The first two candidates of the last list were previously disqualified by the Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEAL). None of the remaining candidates from the last list was present at yesterday’s session.
There are three televised debate sessions this year, taking place on August 30, August 31 and today. Unlike previous years, this year’s sessions are all pre-recorded and will be aired on TV the same evening.
The first session has been criticized by viewers for lacking discussion and debate on the candidates’ proposed policies and laws.
In contrast, yesterday’s session saw more dialogue and disagreement between candidates from each of the four lists present.
At the session, List 6 – Power of Synergy confronted List 8 – Union for Promoting Progress and List 9 – Good Home Alliance on the Economic Housing Law. The former criticized the latter two for passing the law that resulted in negative equity within Economic Housing and supporting the price of this housing type. The price of the Economic Housing was set to MOP5,000 per square foot, to the public’s disapproval.
Both respondents said that the price level should be further discussed and eventually lowered.
List 6 further criticized Lists 8 and 9 for switching sides given they initially passed the law during their legislative term but now they have hinted that they will lower the price.
Meanwhile, List 7 – Strength of Dialogue also criticized both Lists 8 and 9 for making no debate proposals during their legislative term, whereas they had stated in their election platform that they would monitor the government. List 7 questioned how they proposed to achieve that.
List 9 replied that more time was required to provide details of the proposals.
The above exchange of ideas did not happen at the first debate session. Instead, the session was more of a presentation of election platforms, with candidates from List 1 to List 5.
List 2 – Civil Watch criticized List 1 – Macau-Guangdong Union for passing the Urban Construction Law, even with a mandatory building examination absent from the law. However, in 2017 and 2021, List 1 proposed mandatory building examinations. List 2 thus questioned why.
List 1 replied that the proposal was made with the hope that apartment owners will be subsidized for building repairs.
Also present in the first session were List 3 – Macau United Citizens Association, List 4 – Platform for Youth and List 5 – Collective Energy of Macau.
Tonight’s session will see List 11 – Union for Development, List 12 – Powers of Political Thought, List 13 – Alliance for the Promotion of the Basic Law of Macau and List 14 – New Hope.