Elections in Hong Kong: Democratic Tsunami

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The outcome of the Hong Kong district council election is a triumph for the protest camp and a disaster for the government. Never, even in the 150 years under British rule, have so many residents of the former Crown Colony expressed their will - and so clearly: a good 90 percent of the seats and 17 of 18 district councils went to the opposition, with a voter turnout of over 70 percent ,

Thus, it is clear that there is no "silent majority" that Hong Kong government and its masters in Beijing have been talking about over the past few months. The majority did not keep silent. She has been on the streets since June and has now affirmed her point loud and clear. "That's the power of democracy," former student leader Tommy Cheung said, "that's a democratic tsunami."

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At the same time, the conflict over Hong Kong is entering a new phase, and all those directly and indirectly involved should seize the opportunities offered by this electoral outcome: the protest movement, the Hong Kong government, the leadership in Beijing, the US government and the West as a whole ,

The protest movement has received a democratic mandate with the election. This gives the parties to them the opportunity to trace the conflict back from the street to the political institutions, weak and fragile in Hong Kong.

Many supporters of the movement are deeply concerned about the extent of violence that the conflict has taken. So far, they have been reluctant to say so in public - not to split the movement and not to expose themselves. That's what they should do now. "The protesters have done their part," said South African conflict mediator Hannes Siebert recently in front of a hall full of Hong Kong politicians and business people. "Now it's time for people like you to take over the staff here in this room."

In the video: Democrats in Hong Kong triumph, Prochinese forces lose

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Vincent Yu / AP / dpa

However, Hong Kong's government must accommodate the movement - for example, by banning the security forces from using sharp weapons unnecessarily by agreeing to an investigation into police violence by announcing an amnesty for underage frontline workers. The options are many.

Beijing will be reluctant to take any of these measures. But for the moderates in the government camp could prove their devastating defeat as an advantage: The election results of Hong Kong is so clear that it almost resembles the results of Chinese party conferences - which has also noticed users on China's Internet. What remains for a government that faces such a majority? She can only move or resign. Again, that would be an option that would take pressure off the boiler.

China's leadership is authoritarian and unscrupulous. She is not reckless, otherwise she would not have allowed the election in Hong Kong, which had been falsely speculated in advance. But the outcome of the election exacerbates Beijing's Hong Kong dilemma: rejecting the demands of a leaderless and sometimes radical protest movement is far from resisting the will of over three million voters.

Beijing must recognize that the Hong Kong people have a say in the governance of their city - not just the county councils, but also the parliament and the head of government, both of which have not yet been democratically elected.

Finding ways to achieve this goal without serious loss of face for the protest movement and for Beijing is what this election is all about in Hong Kong. The governments of the West have minimal influence on that, but they do.

US President Donald Trump will have to decide in the coming days whether he will sign a law that challenges Hong Kong's special economic status for US investors. It would be wise to uphold the threat, but to push for a postponement of this measure. That would allow the minds of both parties to start a dialogue.

Western governments are under pressure to speak harder and more clearly about Hong Kong. But it makes sense to continue to invite both sides to talk, as the German government does. The so-called Basic Law, the basis of every Hong Kong debate, includes Beijing's commitment to free elections as well as Hong Kong's commitments, including the introduction of stringent national security laws, which China's leadership has been pushing for years, and a few weeks of worrying urgency.

Europe should leave no doubt that it is behind Hong Kong's Democrats and that disrespecting its rights would cost Beijing dearly. The election result is clear enough.