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HONG KONG’S DEEPLY unpopular leader has vowed to “listen humbly” to voters after the pro-democracy camp scored a crushing victory in community-level elections.
The vote is being seen as broad public support for a protest movement that has sparked months of violence.
In a rout that stunned the semi-autonomous territory, candidates seeking to loosen control by China seized an overwhelming majority of the 452 seats in the city’s 18 district councils, bodies that have historically been firmly in the grip of a Beijing-aligned establishment.
The result was a humiliating rebuke to Beijing and Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who has dismissed calls for political reform and had repeatedly suggested that a silent majority supported her administration and opposed the protest movement.
“The government will certainly listen humbly to citizens’ opinions and reflect on them seriously,” Lam said in a statement issued by the government.
She gave no specifics on her next move, but opponents quickly called on her to accede to a five-point list of demands, including direct elections for the city’s legislature and leadership and a probe into alleged police brutality against demonstrators.
“The voters used the most peaceful way to tell the government that we won’t accept Hong Kong becoming a police state, and an authoritarian regime,” said Wu Chi-wai, the chairman of the Democratic Party, Hong Kong’s largest anti-establishment party.
“The government must squarely face… public opinion.”
The Labour Party, another leading component of the pro-democracy bloc, attributed the election result to “the sweat, blood and tears” of protesters.
Chatter on a popular web forum used previously to urge people to turn out for protests called for a march yesterday to press the government to respond to the movement’s demands.
‘Revolution’
Millions took to the streets earlier this year after Lam’s government introduced a bill to allow extraditions to China’s opaque judicial system.
It was eventually withdrawn, but the resulting public anger unleashed broader demands and led to violent clashes between police and protesters.
District councils handle mundane community-level issues like garbage collection and the polls typically generate little excitement. But Sunday’s contest took on new political significance because of the protests.
The outcome was “nothing short of a revolution”, Hong Kong political analyst Willy Lam said.
“It’s a sound repudiation of the (Hong Kong) administration and Beijing’s policy toward Hong Kong.”
He said the result could hasten Beijing’s expected removal of Lam as leader, but may also extend the city’s crisis.
“Protesters will see this astounding victory as a mandate given by the people, so they will fight harder. But at the same time, there won’t be any concessions from Beijing, so the frustration will mount,” he told AFP.
Pro-democracy candidates grabbed 388 seats – a stunning net gain of 263 – according to local media, with the establishment holding on to only 59. Five went to independents.
Record turnout
Beijing did not immediately comment but Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on a trip to Japan, implicitly underlined China’s ultimate sway over the city, saying “no matter what happens, Hong Kong is a part of China”.
“Any attempt to mess up Hong Kong, or even damage its prosperity and stability, will not succeed,” Wang said.
A record 71% of the 4.13 million registered voters had cast ballots, according to Hong Kong’s election watchdog.
The city’s largest pro-Beijing political party was seriously bloodied, with at least 155 of its 182 candidates defeated, media reports said.
Among them were firebrand lawmaker Junius Ho, one of the politicians most loathed by democracy activists, and who was stabbed this month during campaigning.
“The world is turned upside down,” Ho wrote on Facebook after his loss.
The vote is the closest Hong Kong gets to direct representation.
Its legislature is elected by a mix of popular vote and industry groups stacked with China loyalists, a system that ensures Beijing’s control.
District councils have little political sway, but some candidates for next year’s legislative elections will be drawn from the councils, which also will contribute about one-tenth of the 1,200 members of the Beijing-controlled electoral college that chooses the chief executive.
Protests eased in the poll run-up after pro-democracy figures urged calm in a campaign marred earlier by violence.
One pro-democracy candidate, Andrew Chiu, had part of an ear bitten off in an attack while campaigning. He won his race.
Seventeen other candidates of all stripes were arrested over protest-related activities, and election authorities banned leading democracy activist Joshua Wong from running over his support for Hong Kong “self-determination”.
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You’re quickly running out of ideas Aaron. Everything you’re saying is true, but it’s nothing new. We all know how useless this Government is. In fact most of us knew this the day they were elected, and the rest of us figured it out a couple of weeks after that!!
Seriously, can any fool go on a populist rant and get published?
Are you happy in your blue shirt O Reilly? Can’t knock the man for speaking the truth.
It’s a childish article full of name calling.
I agree. What a stupid and pointless article.
It’s not insightful or objective. It’s a political activist with a vested interest taking a pot shot. It’s a comment, not a column. And Niall, you dont need a blue shirt or any other hue to recognise a populist rant when you read it…
A good few of the non- blue shirts are shy about the oul populist rant either, everyone with a vested interest playing the media and the plight of the average Joe on the street completely ignored, all as bad as each other
Fine Gael don’t agree that populist or popular opinion is valid in decision making. Not surprising. But don’t expect non-facists to go along with being told what to do with Caesar if they don’t like it.
Politicians lie with words; bankers lie with figures. They are suitable bedfellows.
Articles like this and the poll Do you feel better now that we’re out of recession make it hard to take the Journal as a serious news site, “Journalists” that seem much more interested in putting their own spin on things rather than reporting news or doing any serious investigative journalism.
At least its not the governments spin.
The biggest spinners aren’t the politicians or their PR people. It’s the journalists who, as intermediary between politicians and the citizens, have the greatest power. Think of all the deliberately written headlines, aimed at provoking an angry reaction, or the quotes which leave out a line or two here and there to provoke a reaction.
A constant anti-politics is bad for the country as it stops people who could do good from getting involved.
This guy got out at the wrong side of the bed! What a clown!
Truth hurts!
I normally like Aaron’s articles but this is just a rant. I will say one thing for politicians (across all parties and independents), at least they take their opinions to voters and try to get elected. Calling them all cowards while sitting on the ditch is a bit weak.
@Aaron
Great article … Keep them coming.
Enjoyed this article
The Government that are there were elected by the people. So if the people don’t like them whoever voted for them only has themselves to blame. When people try to stand up and protest or fight against what is going on in this country we all just turn on each other. People need to stand together and say we are not happy with it and will not put up with it anymore. Moaning and doing nothing about it has not worked in the past so why keep doing it?
Alison ! They were elected on there promises to the people . So why would you blame the people . I for one was fooled when enda said not one red cent more would be giving to bondholders
We have a single party system here so why bother voting at all ? We will be run by the Teachers and Touchers Party no matter what box you tick.
Try voting for DDI they look like they could be a good party.
The problem with the voting in argument is simple. We have the choice between bastard no. 1
Or bastard no. 2
Hurl on the ditch much?
Excellent article. Now how about publishing articles opposing the Seanad abolition and challenging Herr Kenny to come out debate without a back up mob on RTE or TV3. I await a Vincent Browne interview with the Taoiseach
You shall wait a long time.
Kenny on the Vincent Browne show will never happen! Never. Browne is quite mad. His empty chair was stupid in the extreme. His treatment of his panel is frequently rude, aggressive and bullying. He seems to think he is Ireland’s answer to Bill O Reilly. He is deluded. Bill O Reilly is a real talent even if nut fair and balanced.
Very good article Arron and the government and their loyal spinners are like dieing wasps (angry and will have a go at anybody that disrespects their glorious leaders).
But the budget and the local elections are looming along with whatever blunders have yet to surface.
The electorate will be telling this government in no small way what they think of them.
Dear Aaron, sorry to read that the ba#£¥+ds have apparently got to you too. I know it’s very difficult not to slip in to a state of fulminating rage and cynicism. In fact it is surprising that we don’t all fall into that state given the way our country has been governed. It is particularly difficult to see the guilty unpunished and the innocent condemned to the consequences.
It might be easier to GTFOH and emigrate like thousands who have given up hope of our country ever returning to a decent level of economic activity, but like you I’m too stubborn (or even stupid) to take that route.
Don’t despair too much at the gullibility of us citizens and our capacity to believe the spin and trash that the media channel into our homes. It is an unequal battle of money and cynical psychology vs ordinary hard working people.
Take some comfort that you have thousands of fellow travellers who are individually striving to rebuild this country in spite of the odds and obstacles.
Regards
T
Spot on. Very good article. The attacking blue shirts and red nose posters are to be pitied. Defending the indefensible makes you equally as bad. This country has been ruined. Fg/lab are not helping things. In fact they’re making it worse. No amount of massaging of figures can take away from that but it will help the idiots who vote for these parties to justify their stance.
Politicians are there just to give the illusion that you have choice and democracy. You don’t, you have owners and they are the the people in the background that own everything and control the system. Please lets stop the charade.
Politicians are out to screw us, only the method changes.
The events of the next few years in this country depend on the outcome of the German election and NOT the antics of the school teachers hissing at each other in the Dail.
Not one of your best Aaron but keep them coming.
And I just looked out the window and the hills ARE blue.
What’s the obscure law that requires you to say that Christmas is less than 100 days away?
Irony and sarcasm
Aaron, very good post and very accurate. Keep it going.
Pr#$/s come back from their summer alcoholidays in the autumn???
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