To read this content please select one of the options below:

Hong Kong District Council elections 2015: A political litmus test for the Occupy Central Movement

Jermain T.M. Lam (Department of Public Policy, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong)

Asian Education and Development Studies

ISSN: 2046-3162

Article publication date: 2 October 2017

162

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the results of Hong Kong’s 2015 District Council elections in order to test the repercussions of the Occupy Central Movement. The paper attempts to identify the political implications of the Movement as reflected by the 2015 election results.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used for the paper was to collect election data and conduct data analysis to generalize the political implications of the Occupy Central Movement.

Findings

The paper found that, first, Hong Kong is still polarized, as most voters were divided into those who supported the Occupy Central Movement and those who opposed it. Second, there is no consensus regarding political reforms, as most voters were split into two antagonistic positions. Third, the activists of the Occupy Central Movement have formed a new political force that attracts voters who demand change. Fourth, the Occupy Central Movement has become a breeding ground that nurtures localism.

Research limitations/implications

The 2015 District Council elections were a continuation of the Occupy Central Movement. The Movement affected the political balance between the pro-establishment and pan-democratic camps in the 2015 elections and it has shaped the democratization process in Hong Kong.

Originality/value

The paper was the product of an original research project that examined the results of the 2015 District Council elections to reflect on the implications of the Occupy Central Movement. The paper concluded that the 2015 elections sent important political messages to key political players in Hong Kong.

Keywords

Citation

Lam, J.T.M. (2017), "Hong Kong District Council elections 2015: A political litmus test for the Occupy Central Movement", Asian Education and Development Studies, Vol. 6 No. 4, pp. 354-371. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEDS-11-2015-0066

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles