Opinion | Why Hong Kong’s era of patriots is a reset for all political parties, not just the opposition

The word on the street is that at least 150 district councillors could be disqualified as early as next month when they are vetted under the new oath-taking rule.

The Hong Kong government seems geared up for action. It appears to have compiled a list of past conduct that would constitute violation of the oath: those who ran in the unofficial primary ahead of the Legislative Council election that was to be held last year, or signed a statement promising to vote down the government’s budget, seem to be sitting ducks. Some have already been arrested while others have called it quits – or even skipped town.

The government, for quite some time now, has been talking about requiring district councillors to take an oath of allegiance to the Basic Law. This is not required by the Basic Law but by the national security law. Yet, it is obvious that the government is in no hurry to hold by-elections to fill the resulting vacancies.

Months ago, when district councillors started pre-empting the oath-taking requirement by quitting, the government said it had more pressing priorities – like the upcoming three elections for the Election Committee, the Legislative Council and the chief executive, under drastically different arrangements in an electoral overhaul ordered by Beijing – than district council by-elections.