Hong Kong party Demosisto drops support for self-determination after Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow’s election bans
- Youth-led group changes mission statement to promoting ‘democratic and progressive values’ in Hong Kong
- Party’s manifesto earlier championed ‘democratic self-determination’, which triggered election ban for two of its members
A political party has removed support for Hong Kong self-determination from its manifesto after two of its members were barred from running in elections because of the pro-democracy group’s constitutional stance.
Demosisto said it would change its policy to “promoting Hong Kong’s democratic and progressive values” in a statement that stopped short of describing the decision as a political compromise.
While Wong had clarified he and his youth-led party did not back Hong Kong independence, the government argued advocating self-determination was contrary to the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution.
His party colleague, Agnes Chow Ting, was earlier barred from contesting a Legislative Council by-election in 2018 on the grounds that Demosisto had called for self-determination for the city.
A Hong Kong court later overturned her election ban, ruling the returning officer who disqualified Chow had failed to offer the young activist an opportunity to respond at the first instance.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Demosisto did not mention the disqualifications when explaining the decision to amend its manifesto.
“The change was to better sum up the working direction and plans of Demosisto, which would focus on strengthening the civil society, uniting the pro-democracy force, promoting the progressive values and further consolidating Hong Kong’s democratic movement,” it stated.
