Hong Kong's Civic Party dissolves

Veteran Hong Kong politician Alan Leong has clung to the last remnants of the Civic Party, preserving six lapel pins etched with the party’s founding date of “19.03.06.”

This symbolic act follows the closure of the once-prominent opposition group, which, founded in 2006, was known as “the barristers’ party.”

Facing a new political reality shaped by China’s sweeping national security law, the Civic Party grappled with the aftermath of the 2019 pro-democracy protests.

Three members incarcerated, elected politicians unseated, and a former lawmaker listed as a most-wanted fugitive signaled the end of an era.

Speaking during the party’s six-month shutdown process, co-founder Alan Leong cited Hong Kong’s “political reality,” financial constraints, and a waning morale as decisive factors in the party’s dissolution. In a final act of closure, the Civic Party donated its office furniture, stripped its walls of memorabilia, and handed over campaign loudspeakers.

The Civic Party, once an electoral reform advocacy group, was founded by lawyers Ronny Tong, Margaret Ng, Audrey Eu, and Leong. Originally aspiring to be a “governing party,” it recruited professionals from various fields, including civic engineer Albert Lai.

Lai highlighted the party’s formation as a response to Beijing’s failure to deliver on its promise of universal suffrage after Hong Kong’s handover in 1997.

The party faced challenges in 2004 when Beijing introduced hurdles for electoral reform, leading to widespread protests for greater democracy.

In a founding manifesto, Margaret Ng wrote, “Hong Kong’s endurance has been tested to the limit. We must raise up our spirits again now.”

The Civic Party’s collaboration with the League of Social Democrats in 2010 triggered a by-election, aiming to create a symbolic referendum for democratisation. However, co-founder Ronny Tong, who later defected, expressed regret over the party’s “radicalisation.”

Beijing labeled the Civic Party an “anti-China destabilising organisation,” resulting in the prosecution of seven members for their roles in pro-democracy activities. By the end of 2021, all party members in Hong Kong’s district and legislative councils were ousted under Beijing’s “patriots” doctrine.

As the Civic Party closes its doors and Leong resigns as its leader, he expresses relief but leaves the door open for a potential revival, stating, “Should there come a time that professionals or the like can once again serve Hong Kong, I am sure another party will be born.”

The dissolution marks a somber chapter in Hong Kong’s quest for democracy, leaving uncertain prospects for the city’s political future.