Hong Kong district council elections: both sides wary as of one of most unpredictable polls in city’s history is played out against backdrop of turbulent protests
- Pro-establishment camp fears it will bear the brunt of anger from voters who blame government for chaos in the city
- But opposition lawmakers may pay price for recent escalation in violence, including fiery showdowns at two universities
Hong Kong is bracing for one of the most unpredictable elections in recent years as millions of voters will elect their district representatives on Sunday, against a backdrop of continuing social unrest that has gripped the city since June.
Candidates in the pro-establishment camp feared that while many voters were worn down by the seemingly never-ending violence and chaos, they still blamed the government and would take their anger out on the bloc.
“It will be a tough battle,” said Chan Hok-fung, vice-chairman of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB).
“A lot of people support the violence so the situation is beyond what we can predict and assess.”
But there was little more optimism on the other side of the divide. Analysts have warned the increasing violence could sway voters away from the opposition pan-democrats too.
