Hong Kong Democratic Party votes to dissolve after 31 years of operation

Hong Kong’s Democratic Party, once the city’s largest opposition group, voted to dissolve after 31 years of operation. 

The resolution was passed during a meeting on Sunday for discussion of the dissolution and winding-up process, according to a Facebook post by Emily Lau, former chair of the Democratic Party. 

Founded in 1994, the Democratic Party was a primary force of opposition in the former British colony and a leading voice for broader democratic reforms. The party once served as the leading opposition force in the legislature and pressed Beijing aggressively on democratic reforms, including universal suffrage. 

The Hong Kong government didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment outside normal business hours. 

Beijing revamped Hong Kong’s electoral system in 2021, mandating a “patriots only” governing principle that removed the political opposition from the city’s legislature. Hong Kong posted its second-lowest turnout on record in the recent elections for the legislature, with about 31.9% of eligible voters casting a ballot.