The Basic Law originally set out how the chief executive would be selected for the first two terms of office, and it was assumed that the third term (beginning in 2007) would see a gradual opening up of the process to eventually achieve direct fully democratic elections.
不過，原先的「基本法」只規定頭兩屆行政長官的產生辦法，並明訂第 3 屆（即 2007 年）後可逐步開放達到最終普選，為香港的民主自決預留了空間。