July 1, 2025
Hong Kong's last pro-democracy political party disbands citing ‘tremendous political pressure’
The League of Social Democrats (LSD), one of Hong Kong's last pro-democracy groups, announced its disbandment on June 29, 2025, after 19 years of operation, citing "tremendous political pressure." The dissolution came on the eve of the fifth anniversary of Beijing's 2020 security law, adding the LSD to dozens of political parties, labor unions, and civil society groups that have disbanded since the law's enactment. Chair Chan Po-ying could not elaborate further on the specific reasons behind the decision during the press conference. The LSD, founded in 2006 to advocate for democratic reform and support the working class, previously held seats in the Legislative Council and District Councils before a 2021 electoral overhaul effectively barred opposition members from standing.
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