Editorial | More than future of Hong Kong’s Democrats at stake in district council poll

The district council election in December is set to be another patriots-only race following a similar revamp in the Legislative Council poll two years ago. What sets it apart is that the Democratic Party has decided to come forward, the first time for an opposition group under the new rules. The stakes are high, not only for the party’s future, but also the election and the political development of Hong Kong.

Compared to its strong presence in previous forays, the endorsement of no fewer than eight Democrats to run in the lower-tier election speaks volumes about the paradigm shift in politics in recent years. Party chairman Lo Kin-hei hopes the move will provide an opportunity for Hongkongers to speak up and change the political climate. “We believe it is still important for the people and for the future of Hong Kong to have voices in the establishment that speak common sense and logic … We don’t want Hong Kong to end up in the way we see now,” Lo said.

Admittedly, the overhaul that put political power in the hands of those approved by Beijing may not be acceptable to everyone. This is reflected in the significant fall in those who turned out for the revamped Legco election in 2021. However, the presence of a wider political spectrum under the approved framework is nonetheless a positive step and should be encouraged. It may also help reduce the sense of alienation among the public and enable different voices to be heard within the establishment.

The Democrats’ decision is by no means an easy one. There are concerns that they may lose further support in a poll that has yet to win broad public recognition. According to a recent university survey, about 60 per cent of people said they were not very concerned by, or had no interest at all in politics, up more than 7 percentage points from last year. But it has to be asked what the future holds for a party that does not take part in elections. The Democrats have faced repeated obstacles when trying to raise funds, raising questions as to whether the party can get enough money to operate.

To what extent the party’s participation may prompt more people to accept the arrangement and vote remains to be seen. The first hurdle is to secure sufficient nominations to come forward and to pass vetting on patriotism. Beijing has said the revamp is not aimed at killing off political opposition, and this will be put to the test when Democrats seek nominations from district groups currently dominated by “patriots”. At stake is not just the party’s future, but also the credibility of elections and governance. A pluralistic political landscape under “one country, two systems” is still in the best interest of Hong Kong and Beijing. The election will put the party and the authorities to the test.