Hong Kong Democratic Party Votes to Disband Under Beijing Pressure

Hong Kong’s Democratic Party, the city’s last major opposition political party, voted on December 14, 2025, to disband, bringing organised pro-democracy opposition in the territory to a close.

At an extraordinary general meeting, 117 of the 121 members present voted in favour of dissolution, with four abstentions, according to party officials.

The Democratic Party was founded in 1994 and for decades played a central role in Hong Kong politics, campaigning for civil liberties, rule of law, and universal suffrage.

It was a core force within the pro-democracy camp and regularly held seats in the legislature before political reforms reshaped the city’s governance framework.

• Hong Kong Democratic Party votes to disband, ending last major opposition force
• Beijing pressure and national security law drive collapse of pro-democracy politics in Hong Kong
• Democratic Party dissolution marks narrowing political space under ‘one country, two systems’

The party’s decline accelerated after the 2019 Hong Kong protests and the introduction of China’s national security law in 2020. Since then, opposition parties and civil society groups have faced arrests, prosecutions, and restrictions on political activity. Electoral reforms implemented by Beijing further reduced space for dissent by requiring candidates to be vetted as “patriots,” effectively barring pro-democracy candidates from standing for office.

Party chairman Lo Kin-hei said the decision reflected the current political environment facing the group. He acknowledged the party’s long history and its role alongside Hong Kong residents during key moments of social and political change, but cited sustained political pressure and an increasingly hostile environment as factors behind the move. Senior members have said they were warned by intermediaries that continuing operations could carry serious consequences.

The vote follows the disbandment of several other pro-democracy organisations, including the League of Social Democrats earlier in 2025. With many activists jailed, in exile, or facing national security charges, organised opposition has steadily disappeared from public life.

Former party leaders described the outcome as deeply regrettable, saying it marked the loss of an institution that once provided a legal and peaceful channel for political participation. Analysts say the Democratic Party disbandment symbolises the narrowing of political pluralism under Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” framework.

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The party will now begin formal procedures to wind up its affairs, closing a chapter in Hong Kong’s post-handover political history.