'A decent outcome' for Beijing's critics
It was the first major election since pro-democracy protests rocked the Chinese territory two years ago and the outcome of the vote was excitedly anticipated.
And now after polls have closed, there are two significant results. First, the city's pro-democratic forces have won enough seats to retain a veto power in the legislative council and are in a position to block decisions of the pro-Beijing contingent. Second, former activists involved in the student-led "Umbrella Revolution" protests of 2014, have for the first time been elected to the city's Legislative Council, or LegCo.
There was even unprecedented discussion during the election of the possible independence of Hong Kong. In a study conducted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, 17 percent of the respondents supported the idea of Hong Kong's independence from the mainland. Among the 15 to 24 year olds, support was as high as 40 percent. Two years ago, such a result would have been unthinkable.
How will Beijing react?
But what does this election outcome mean for Hong Kong? No major changes are expected in the short term. The young Occupy activists have achieved "a decent outcome," as many media outlets point out. But they only hold a minority of seats in the LegCo, while the pro-Beijing camp enjoys a comfortable majority. The interesting question therefore is: How will the anti-Beijing movement develop in the long term?
Many of the youthful protesters, who have repeatedly taken to the streets over the past two years and now voted the Occupy activists into legislature, view themselves as losers of the city's reunification with the mainland. They are concerned about Hong Kong's economic development and their job opportunities.
Furthermore, they are worried about Beijing's increased interference in local politics and declining political freedoms. But whether or not the youth protest movement will continue to enjoy mass public support will depend upon Beijing's future policy.
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