Elections in the People's Republic of China are based on a hierarchical electoral system, whereby local People's Congresses (人民代表大会) are directly elected, and all higher levels of People's Congresses up to the National People's Congress, the national legislature, are indirectly elected by the People's Congress of the level immediately below. The constitution does not specify how deputies to the people's congresses of the autonomous regions, autonomous prefectures, and autonomous counties are chosen.
Governors, mayors, and heads of counties, districts, townships and towns in turn elected by the respective local People's Congresses. Presidents of people's courts and chief procurators of people's procuratorates are elected by the respective local People's Congresses above the county level. The President and the State Council are elected by the National People's Congress.
While universal franchise is guaranteed in principle by the Constitution, in practice the Communist Party of China maintains full control of the entire electoral process.In practice, only members of the Communist Party of China, eight allied parties, and sympathetic independent candidates are ever elected in any election beyond the local village level.
Read more about Elections In The People's Republic Of China: Direct Elections, Indirect Elections, Party Control, History
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