Hong Kong’s Largest Pro‑Democracy Party Votes to Dissolve After 30+ Years

Hong Kong’s Democratic Party, long the city’s largest pro‑democracy political organization, voted on Sunday to dissolve after more than three decades of activity. About 97% of ballots cast by members supported liquidation, party chair Lo Kin‑hei said, calling dissolution “the best way forward” for its members amid a sharply altered political environment.

"Yet as the times have shifted, we now, with deep regret, must bring this chapter to a close," Lo said, reflecting the leadership’s view that continued operation posed risks to members.

A Crackdown That Changed Hong Kong’s Political Landscape

Observers and party veterans told The Associated Press that some members had been warned of potential consequences if the party remained active. Many see the decision as part of a broader erosion of freedoms that were guaranteed to Hong Kong after the 1997 handover.

Following mass anti‑government protests in 2019, Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in June 2020. The law has been used to arrest numerous prominent activists, including former Democratic Party chairs Albert Ho and Wu Chi‑wai, along with other ex‑lawmakers. Media and civic institutions have also been affected: pro‑democracy publisher Jimmy Lai was charged under the national security law and his newspaper, Apple Daily, was forced to close.

Dozens of civil society groups have folded under pressure. The Civic Party — long the city’s second‑largest pro‑democracy party — and groups that organized annual vigils for the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown have closed. In June, the League of Social Democrats, which had continued holding small street protests in recent years, also announced its closure.

History and Waning Influence

Founded in 1994, the Democratic Party represented a moderate opposition voice that long advocated for universal suffrage to choose Hong Kong’s chief executive. Prominent figures associated with the party include Martin Lee, often described as the city’s "father of democracy," Albert Ho, and Emily Lau.

At its height the party held multiple seats in the Legislative Council and dozens of directly elected district councillors who helped residents with local and municipal issues. Its willingness to engage with Beijing led to some proposals being included in a 2010 political reform package — a choice that drew criticism from more hardline activists who wanted broader change.

After the sweeping protests of 2019 the party briefly regained wider public support, but successive electoral overhauls aimed at ensuring only so‑called “patriots” can govern effectively have excluded most pro‑democracy politicians from the legislature and district councils. In recent years the Democratic Party shifted toward advocacy on livelihood issues, held press conferences and even submitted opinions on a local national security bill enacted in March 2024.

The Decision to Dissolve

Earlier this year the party formed a task force to examine the legal and procedural steps required to dissolve. Leadership then secured a membership mandate to move toward liquidation — a process that culminated in Sunday’s vote.

Former chair Yeung Sum described the disbandment as a sign of Hong Kong’s regression from a free and liberal society but urged caution in declaring total defeat.

"Now, it's a low point, but we haven’t lost all hope," Yeung said, suggesting that a future review of the "one country, two systems" principle could reopen space for greater openness.

Lo Kin‑hei emphasized that the future of a democracy movement in Hong Kong depends on the choices of its people and noted that universal suffrage remains promised under the Basic Law, the city’s mini‑constitution. "If Hong Kong people believe that democracy is the way to go, I believe that they will keep on striving for democracy," he said.