Hong Kong’s opposition has been under pressure for some time. In recent years, China has attempted, among other things, to introduce a national security law and to reform the electoral system, effectively excluding local democratic politicians from rural areas.
According to Alan Leong, one of the founders of the pro-democracy Civic Party, 30 of the 31 voting members decided to dissolve the party. One member abstained from voting. “The world keeps changing, history will tell,” he told reporters. “Today the Civic Party says goodbye to Hong Kong. We hope Hong Kong people will always live in the moment and not be too sad. Believe in the future.’
Pro-democracy force
Founded in 2006, the Civic Party has since been regarded as a pro-democracy force in China’s special administrative region, “handed back” from the United Kingdom in 1997. It has also been an important ally of the Hong Kong Democratic Party, which has had particular success in local elections.
The party was known for representing Hong Kong businessmen such as lawyers, accountants and scholars. The Civic Party was a relatively moderate pro-democracy party popular with Hong Kong’s middle class.