bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Ng Kang-chung

The League of Social Democrats, one of Hong Kong’s last opposition political parties, has announced it will disband after operating for nearly two decades.
The decision was revealed in a press event invite sent out by the political party on Friday. In the document, the group said it would share further details about its plan to disband in the briefing on Sunday.
“Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the League of Social Democrats. However, we will not survive to see that day and will announce our disbandment,” it said.
The invitation did not specify why the party was opting to disband.
The decision was made as the city prepares to mark the fifth anniversary of the implementation of the 2020 national security law.
Founded in 2006, the group was considered the “radical wing” of the city’s opposition camp. At one point, three party members held seats in the Legislative Council, including veteran activist and league co-founder “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung.
The party’s other founding members are former lawmaker Albert Chan Wai-yip and Raymond “Mad Dog” Wong Yuk-man, a pro-Taiwan commentator and radio host.
Professor Lau Siu-kai, a consultant with Beijing’s semi-official think tank, the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, said he believed central authorities were not behind the political party’s disbandment.
“I don’t think Beijing cares that much about the fate of the league, which is a depleted force with minimal political appeal and is not even a viable political force,” he said.
“Under the national security law and the new political configuration of ‘patriots governing Hong Kong’ … there is no room in Hong Kong for an opposition party that refuses to recognise the constitutional order in Hong Kong undergirded by the Constitution of China and the Basic Law.”

Chan Wai-keung, a political scientist at Polytechnic University’s college of professional and continuing education, said the party’s influence had waned with the departure of several of its star leaders.
“There is no need for Beijing to exert pressure. The group has largely become a no-one-cares party, and it simply cannot continue to operate if it has no popular support and no money to support its work,” he said.
A number of opposition-leaning political or civil society groups have disbanded since Beijing imposed the national security law on the city in 2020.
Members of the Democratic Party, once the largest opposition party in Hong Kong, voted in February of this year to make preparations to shut down, while the Civic Party wrapped up procedures to disband in March 2024.
The League of Social Democrats’ controversial legacy includes a reputation for confrontational tactics inside and outside the legislature.
In 2008, party member Wong interrupted then city leader Donald Tsang Yam-kuen’s policy address by throwing a banana in his direction.
Eight years later, Leung, as a lawmaker, snatched a folder from a government official that contained confidential information at a Legco panel meeting because he was unhappy with the official’s reply to his questions.
Leung and Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit, a core member of the party, were among 45 opposition camp members sentenced to prison in a landmark subversion trial.
Sham, who was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, was released in May after the time he spent in pre-trial detention was taken into account.


Labour MPs urge UK to protect Hong Kong BN(O) migrants from residency reforms

Hong Kong lawmakers-elect call for more exchanges with government in policymaking

Hong Kong scraps New Year’s Eve fireworks, moves countdown to Central

How will Jimmy Lai’s conviction affect China-UK ties and Keir Starmer’s planned visit?

Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong’s League of Social Democrats to disband after 19 years of opposition

Leung Kwok-hung protests during the oath-taking session while Legco Secretary General Kenneth Chan Wei-on looks on in October . 2016. Photo: Sam Tsang

(From left) Founding party members Albert Chan, Raymond Wong and Leung Kwok-hung. Photo: SCMP

Hong Kong Democratic Party chief says no turning back on group’s dissolution

Chairman of the Democratic Party Lo Kin-hei, at the organisation’s office in Prince Edward, where he is interviewed by former party chairwoman Emily Lau on Tuesday. Photo: May Tse

Democratic Party chief Lo Kin-hei (right) at the organisation’s office in Prince Edward, where he is interviewed by former party chairwoman and legislator Emily Lau. Photo: May Tse

Hong Kong’s Civic Party folds after 17 years of championing opposition causes

Civic Party banners promote candidates for the Legco poll in 2020, held the next year. The party championed the cause of universal suffrage and the rule of law since its founding in 2006  Photo: Jonathan Wong

Alan Leong announces the winding up of the Civic Party at its office in North Point. Photo: Dickson Lee

Party members Jeremy Tam and Alan Leong celebrate their Legislative Council win in 2016. Photo: Dickson Lee

Party members hold a press conference meet after their annual general meeting in 2020. Photo: Jonathan Wong

(From left,) Alan Leong, Tat Cheng Da-Hung, Tanya Chan Suk-chong and Audrey Eu outside Eastern Court in 2016. Photo: Dickson Lee

Ronny Tong says the opposition camp grew more radical in recent years, Ronny Tong says. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

News

Hong Kong

Politics

Decision revealed in press invitation, with opposition party to reveal more details about move on Sunday


Decision revealed in press invitation, with opposition party to reveal more details about move on Sunday.


Hong Kong’s League of Social Democrats to disband after 19 years of opposition

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Decision revealed in press invitation, with opposition party to reveal more details about move on Sunday

Decision revealed in press invitation, with opposition party to reveal more details about move on Sunday