The last remaining pro-democracy party in China-ruled Hong Kong, the League of Social Democrats (LSD), has announced its dissolution due to “immense political pressure.”
The financial hub is now without an opposition force that can stage street protests following the recent passage of stringent national security laws.
The relatively small left-wing party, which was established in 2006, claimed in a statement that it had made its decision after careful consideration, particularly in terms of “the consequences” for its members.
We have experienced the hardships of internal conflict, the nearly total imprisonment of our leaders, the eroding of civil society, the fading of grassroots voices, the omnipresence of red lines, and the oppressive suppression of dissent, it continued.
The LSD continued, warning that the “terrain ahead is even more treacherous,” and the “road has narrowed beyond passage.”
laws governing national security
Following the massive pro-democracy protests in 2019, China enacted a national security law in Hong Kong in 2020 that would punish crimes like subversion and sentence people to life in prison. Numerous influential activists were charged or imprisoned under the law, numerous civil society organizations disbanded, and government-critical media outlets were shut down.
The city’s pro-Beijing legislative enacted a second set of laws in 2024, known as Article 23. A wide range of crimes are punished by them, including espionage, treason, sabotage, sedition, the theft of state secrets, and external interference. Penalties range from years to life in prison.
Despite the risks, the LSD was the only pro-democracy party that still held street booth events and staged small street protests occasionally.
Its best performance came in the 2008 legislative elections, where it won three seats, but it was never as well-known as the more moderate Democratic Party and Civic Party.
LSD is well known for its more aggressive stances in opposition to change. As a form of protest, its members have reportedly thrown bananas, eggs, and luncheon meat at government officials or pro-Beijing lawmakers. According to the party’s platform, the organization argued that it supported nonviolent resistance but opposed physical confrontations, setting it apart from more recent, conventional pro-democracy organizations.
There is “no other choice.”
Party leader Chan Po-ying said she was proud to say the party had still supported the city’s pro-democracy movement but did not give further details about the pressure the LSD faced.
She said, “We haven’t let down the trust that those who went to prison have placed in us,” and that we have remained true to our original aspirations. We have no other choice because we are now forced to disband and have a conscience ache.
The announcement comes just before Hong Kong, a former British colony, will celebrate its 28th anniversary on Tuesday following its return to Chinese rule.
The city once hosted annual pro-democracy demonstrations on the anniversary and other demonstrations calling for better policies, but those events stopped once the most organized organizations and activists were arrested.
Critics claim that Beijing’s dramatic political changes following the handover of Hong Kong reflect the country’s shrinking freedoms. Beijing and Hong Kong’s governments insist that the measures must be taken in order for the city’s stability, arguing that they must preserve both the rights and freedoms of the city’s residents.
