Leaders of Hong Kong’s oldest pro-democracy party, the Democratic Party, announced they will seek a vote among its members to dissolve the organization, Bloomberg reports.
The move comes after years of a national security crackdown that has silenced dissent and removed opposition politicians from public office.
Democratic Party Chairman Lo Kin-hei stated that the party will hold a vote among its approximately 400 members on whether to disband. He will form part of a three-person committee to determine the timeline and details of the dissolution process. Lo made the announcement at a press conference Thursday night but did not specify a direct cause for the decision.
“It is a decision we made based on our understanding of the current political situation,” Lo told reporters.
He declined to comment on speculation that the party faced political pressure to fold, although he stated the party is financially stable and has sufficient funds to continue operating “for a while.”
“Developing democracy in Hong Kong has always been difficult, and especially difficult in the past few years,” he said, referencing the closure of numerous civil society groups and parties.
A dissolution would require the approval of 75% of party members in attendance.
Founded in 1994 before Hong Kong’s handover to Chinese rule, the Democratic Party’s potential dissolution marks a significant development in the erosion of political freedoms in the region. The party was once a leading opposition force, winning legislative elections and advocating for greater democracy.
The political landscape shifted in 2020 when Beijing imposed a measure allowing for the disqualification of Hong Kong lawmakers deemed insufficiently loyal. This resulted in the ouster of four legislators and the resignation of 15 others, including former Democratic Party Chairman Wu Chi-wai, in protest.
Wu was among four former party lawmakers sentenced last year to prison terms of up to six years and nine months on subversion charges under a national security law drafted in Beijing. The Civic Party, formerly the city’s second-largest opposition party, shut down in 2023, two years after four core members were charged in the same case.
Efforts to suppress pro-democracy voices, imprisonment of former legislators, and pressure campaigns against media outlets have damaged Hong Kong’s reputation as a territory with comparatively high levels of freedom.
These actions have drawn criticism from Western governments, with Washington increasingly treating Hong Kong as a mainland Chinese city, a move that could weaken the city’s position as a global financial hub.
The next general election for the Legislative Council is scheduled to be held later this year.
