Pro-democracy political party Demosisto to shift focus away from seeking Hong Kong Legislative Council seats as it supports social movements
Group co-founded by Occupy movement leader Joshua Wong and disqualified lawmaker Nathan Law cites deprivation of its members’ ‘political rights’
Hong Kong’s youngest political party co-founded by student activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung has declared it will shift its focus from contesting elections to backing social movements, claiming officials have blocked its path to the city’s councils.
“We considered Demosito a political party when we founded it, with participation in electoral politics an important direction,” the statement read. “After our members were being repeatedly deprived of their political rights, the road to election has clearly been suspended.”
We will adjust our focus towards civil society and devote our energy to policy advocacy
Conceding a difficult road ahead while claiming suppression by the government, Demosisto said it would continue to stand in the frontline of the city’s democracy movements.
“In the future, we will adjust our focus towards civil society and devote our energy to policy advocacy,” the party said in its statement. “We will strive to connect with more Hongkongers in the coming battles and democracy movements.” It added that party members needed to prepare for what it called a key point of contention: a national security law.
Local officials were forced to shelve a bill aimed at doing just that in 2003, after half a million people took part in a march opposing the plan. Beijing has long signalled its impatience with the legislative stalemate.
Despite the government stating Demosisto’s doctrine of “democratic self-determination” inconsistent with the Basic Law, the party ended its statement by pledging to push forward its vision of the concept.
Chinese University political scientist Ivan Choy Chi-keung said it was very rare for a political party to take a “U-turn” and become a community organisation. He believed the decision arose after the party’s leaders recognised political reality.
In the face of government-imposed election bans, Demosisto had only two paths to sustain, Choy said: editing the party charter to remove its calls for self-determination, or cooperating with non-party members in elections.
But it remained to be seen whether the public would accept the party’s attempt at reinvention, Choy said.
Demosisto candidate Agnes Chow launches legal bid to get election ban overturned
“Without a platform and resources from Legco, it may face resource problems in the long run.”
Lam, Demosisto’s new chairman, said the group had stable financial resources at the moment, and would be watchful of crowdfunding opportunities after the city’s annual July 1 march, when local pro-democracy groups traditionally raise money.
Demosisto now has about 30 members, Lam noted, and, apart from Yuen, none had quit the party in recent days.
