Hong Kong's biggest pro-democracy party votes to disband after more than 30 years of activism

HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s biggest pro-democracy party voted Sunday to dissolve after more than 30 years of activism, marking the end of an era of the Chinese semiautonomous city ‘s once-diverse political landscape.

Democratic Party chairperson Lo Kin-hei said the political environment was “one important point” among the factors they considered, and about 97% of members’ ballots were in support of its liquidation. He said it is the best way forward for its members.

“Yet as the times have shifted, we now, with deep regret, must bring this chapter to a close,” he said.

Party veterans had earlier told The Associated Press that some members were warned of consequences if the party didn’t shut down.

Its demise reflects the dwindling freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to China’s rule in 1997.

Arrests and shutdowns during Beijing’s crackdown

China imposed a national security law in June 2020, following massive anti-government protests the year before, saying it was necessary for the city’s stability. Under the law, many leading activists, including the Democratic Party’s former chairs Albert Ho and Wu Chi-wai and other former lawmakers, were arrested.

Jimmy Lai, founder of the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, was also charged under the law. Lai will hear his verdict on Monday. Apple Daily was one of the vocal independent outlets shut down over the past five years.

Dozens of civil society groups have also closed, including the second-largest pro-democracy party, Civic Party and a group that organized annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

In June, the League of Social Democrats, which had remained active in holding tiny street protests in recent years, announced its closure, citing immense political pressure.

A moderate opposition party filled with political stars

The Democratic Party, founded in 1994, was a moderate opposition party that pushed for universal suffrage in electing the city’s leader for decades. Prominent party members include Martin Lee, nicknamed the city’s “father of democracy,” Ho, former leader of the group that organized Tiananmen vigils, and journalist-turned-activist Emily Lau.

It once held multiple legislative seats and amassed dozens of directly elected district councillors who helped residents with issues in their households and municipal matters. Some of its former members joined the government as senior officials.

Its willingness to negotiate with Beijing led to its proposal being included in a 2010 political reform package — a move that drew harsh criticism from some members and other democracy advocates who wanted more sweeping changes.

As new pro-democracy groups grew, the party’s influence declined. But when the 2019 protests swept Hong Kong, the party’s activism won widespread support again.

During Beijing’s crackdown, the Democratic Party has turned into more like a pressure group. Electoral overhauls that were designed to ensure only “patriots” administer the city effectively shut out all pro-democracy politicians in the legislature and district councils.

The party pressed on by holding news conferences on livelihood issues. It even submitted opinions on a homegrown national security legislation before it was enacted in March 2024.

Earlier this year, the party decided to set up a task force to look into the procedures involved in dissolving itself, and its leadership secured members’ mandate to move closer to this goal.

Regression of freedoms

Former chairperson Yeung Sum in Sunday’s news conference said the party’s disbandment indicated the regression of Hong Kong from being a free and liberal society. He said the route to implementing democracy after the 1997 handover wasn’t a total failure, saying the city had just gone halfway through that path.

Yeung said if one day, there could be a review of the “one country, two systems” principle, which Beijing uses to govern Hong Kong, and it could move back toward being more open, the city would have a better future.

“Now, it’s a low point, but we haven’t lost all hope,” he said.

On whether Hong Kong will still have a democracy movement, Lo said it depends on every Hong Konger, highlighting that universal suffrage is promised under the city’s mini-constitution.

“If Hong Kong people believe that democracy is the way to go, I believe that they will keep on striving for democracy.”