When Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s leader, ran for office two years ago, she committed gaffes ranging from not knowing how to navigate the ticket turnstiles of the city’s underground commuter train to admitting she did not know where to buy toilet paper.

But never has the elite career bureaucrat, who was appointed by a select pro-Beijing committee two years ago, looked so out of touch with ordinary Hong Kongers as she does now. Her job is hanging in the balance after mass protests forced her over the weekend to suspend an extradition bill seen by many as a fundamental threat to their civil liberties in a potential humiliation for Beijing.

The crisis over the proposed legislation, which provoked further protests on Monday calling for her resignation, has been humbling for the first woman to lead Hong Kong. A self-confessed perfectionist, she has been nicknamed “tough fighter” for her ability to prevail over opponents during her long career.