In the district council elections held in China's Special Administrative Region, the pro-democracy camp supported by the protest movement has received widespread popular support. According to preliminary results, pro-democracy parties removed most of the district council posts from the government bloc.
The results showed that the Democrats won at least 388 of the 452 seats. In the previous election in 2015, the government-loyal and firmly held to Beijing camp had taken three quarters of the mandates and since then controlled all 18 district councils. 17 of these went to the Democrat camp.
With a record 71-per-cent majority vote, Hong Kongers underscored their desire for genuine democracy and political change. Four years ago, the quota had been at 47 percent that had previously been unattained and now far surpassed.
Clear message to Beijing, slam for Carrie Lam
The election result is a clear message to Beijing and a flinch for the Communist Party-sponsored Prime Minister Carrie Lam. Because the vote was considered a kind of referendum on whether the silent majority in the metropolis of millions after almost six months of the protest is still behind the anti-government movement.
Prime Minister Lam announced on Monday to "humbly and seriously" think about the outcome of the vote. There are many analyzes and interpretations, "and quite a few believe that the results reflect the people's dissatisfaction with the current situation and deep-seated problems in society". However, immediate consequences were not mentioned. The protest movement has been calling for Lam's resignation for months and should be encouraged by the clear election result.
Nonetheless, elections in political practice are unlikely to have any impact as the county councils of the city do not really have power and can neither legislate nor make meaningful decisions. They advise the government and make suggestions on how to improve the quality of life in the neighborhoods. The dominant camp in the election also receives seats in the 1200-member election committee, which elects the Hong Kong head of state every five years. However, the panel ensures that in the end Beijing's favored candidate always wins.
More than 1000 candidates had started
More than 1000 candidates competed in the local election. On Sunday morning, many young voters flocked to the polling stations.
On the days leading up to the election, Hong Kong remained quiet after weeks of increasingly violent clashes between police and radical activists. The displeasure of the protest movement is directed against the government, the brutally perceived actions of the police and the growing influence of the communist leadership in Beijing.
Since its return to China in 1997, the former British Crown Colony has been governed autonomously under Chinese sovereignty under the principle of "one country, two systems". The seven million Hong Kong people - unlike the people of the People's Republic - enjoy many rights, such as freedom of assembly and expression, which they now fear.