The people have spoken. Yesterday 72 per cent of electors — 2.94 million souls — turned out delivering slaps in the face for Carrie Lam and her mainland masters. An over-whelming 84 per cent of their votes went to the Democratic camp while pro-Beijing, pro-government candidates got only 11 per cent. The people used their one chance to express peacefully their displeasure with a government that has in the past six months stuffed up royally. For the pro-establishment camp, it was a blood-bath. It was a referendum on the dire troubles the city has undergone in 2019. The voters said we support the protesters. We insist on change.
Will they hear the message in Beijing? Mike Rowse summed it up in a sentence on Backchat: “To make one country two systems work, Beijing must trust the Hong Kong people.”
The record-breaking turnout was far higher than the 47 percent in the 2015 polls and the 58 per cent in the 2016 Legco elections. The vast swing in district council power will have many consequences down the track. How will the Government get anything done with newly stroppy councils in the 18 districts? There will be impact on the 117 seats controlled by district councillors on the 1200-member Chief Executive Election Committee. In next year’s election for Legco will the power shift continue? Now it looks likely. The voters have seen what they can do. If the Democrats can get greater control of Legco they may, for example, be able to restrict the powers of the police.
Will this historic statement by the people lead to a reduction of the violence? Some observers think so. But Paul Zimmerman (himself re-elected) spoke well also on Backchat: “The lava flows back under the rocks, ready to explode at any time.”
Realists look at the behaviour of the Democrats. Their inability to come together to drive change. They fight over inconsequentials. They reject progress. Compromise is anathema, eg, Beijing’s attempt to allow a slate of candidates to stand for CE election providing they were pre-vetted. The Democrats blocked what would have been significant change. Realists, shaking their heads, think the infighting Democrats will screw it up again.
The power resides with the Communist Party. Will they listen to the people and compromise? Instruct Ms Lam to allow an independent inquiry and restart meaningful moves towards greater democracy? The naysayers see an authoritarian attitude within the Party responsible for interning a million Uighurs and forcibly indoctrinating them. These same rulers scare the youngsters of Hong Kong with their repression, opaque justice system and condoning of torture.
How long before the lava explodes out of the rocks again?
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