Hong Kong – Amid a significant electoral overhaul in Hong Kong, the city’s Chief Executive, John Lee, has staunchly defended the revised election rules, proclaiming them as transparent and equitable. However, the aftermath of these changes means that the city’s remaining pro-democracy activists are notably absent from the upcoming local elections.
In a striking development, the Democratic Party, Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy party since its establishment in 1994, will not be participating in the district council elections scheduled for December. The party’s chair, Lo Kin-hei, revealed that he, along with other members, were unable to secure the necessary nominations under the newly introduced rules. These rules are explicitly designed to ensure that “patriots administer Hong Kong,” thus reducing the influence of pro-democracy voices.
To qualify as candidates in this revised electoral landscape, individuals must obtain endorsements from a minimum of nine members of local committees dominated by pro-government figures. Even some pro-government politicians, including lawmaker Michael Tien, voiced the challenges their groups faced in securing these nominations.
In a weekly news briefing, Chief Executive John Lee emphasized the importance of respecting the decisions of the individuals whose nominations candidates sought. He asserted, “It is up to you to ensure that you can convince the person you want to convince.”
The significance of this electoral change lies in the fact that district councils were the last major representative bodies chosen through public voting. However, with the introduction of this electoral overhaul, most directly elected seats at the municipal level have been eliminated, rendering the pro-democracy presence increasingly limited.
The notable absence of pro-democracy parties from the elections underscores the diminishing space for the democratic movement within the city, following a government crackdown on dissidents in the wake of the anti-government protests in 2019.
District council elections typically draw little international attention, as the councillors mainly oversee municipal matters, such as organizing construction projects and ensuring the upkeep of public facilities. Nevertheless, these councils gained significance after Hong Kong’s pro-democracy camp achieved a landslide victory in the previous election, which took place at the height of the 2019 protests.
