Democrats in Hong Kong hope to regain veto power in crucial by-election

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong's democratic opposition aims to reclaim a crucial legislative council seat in Sunday's elections, which will allow it to recover part of its veto at a time when the city's freedoms ruled by China are undermined.

Opposition Democrats lost a chance in March to regain their veto, winning only two of the four seats in a by-election and leaving them one seat less to block most bills. in the 70-seat room, now largely controlled by pro-Beijing. allies.

After 156 years of British colonial rule, Hong Kong returned to China in 1997 according to a "one country, two systems" formula guaranteeing it a high degree of autonomy and the promise of universal suffrage.

While the Democrats enjoyed strong public support from an audience thwarted by China's insidious control over the Asian financial hub, they fought a much larger and better funded pro-Beijing camp than unprecedented steps taken by the authorities to curtail electoral freedoms.

A pro-independence political party was banned this year, as several promising democracy activists were banned from participating in various polls after being deemed ideologically inappropriate for a public office.

Sunday's and March's by-elections were triggered when six pro-democracy legislators were ousted as invalid. Critics have said the decision was politically motivated, raising new questions about Hong Kong's reputation as a relative safe haven for forbidden freedoms in mainland China.

"Apathy is our biggest enemy so far," Lee Cheuk-yan, a former legislator and ruling candidate, the main pro-democracy opposition party, told Reuters.

"This election is crucial … we can resist more to the erosion of our power by the Communist Party (Chinese). I think most people do not want Hong Kong to become another Chinese city. "

Lee's main rival will be Rebecca Chan Hoi-yan, a former TV journalist for TVB TV. In the run-up to the election, Chan was trapped in several controversies, including the plagiarism of the work of Democratic politicians.

The poll comes as the international community is increasingly worried about the deterioration of civil liberties in Hong Kong.

Nine activists, including lawmakers and university professors, are now facing public nuisance charges stemming from mass protests for "Occupy Central" democracy in 2014. Their historic trial could sentence them to a term of imprisonment. imprisonment up to seven years.

Victor Mallet, editor of the Financial Times, has also been expelled from the city in recent months, shortly after helping pitch the speech of a pro-independence activist at the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents Club.

The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission warned in a congressional report this month that China had "stepped up its interference" and "closed the political space of pro-activists." -democrats to express their dissatisfaction ".