The 2008 Hong Kong Legco Result

The result for the geographical constituencies is 19 seats for the Pan-Dem and 11 seats for the Pro-Establisment - a return to the distribution before the last Legco was dissolved.

Pro-Establishment:
DAB : 7 seats (7)
FTU: 2 seats (1)
others: 2 seats

Pan-Dem:
DP: 7 seats (7)
CP: 4 seats (3)
LSD: 3 seats (2)
Others: 5 seats

(numbers of seats formerly held in geographical constituencies)

The status quo is largey maintained and the biggest loser at this election is the pro-business Liberal Party which failed to retain the two seats they held in the geographical constituencies.

The presense of two other Pro-establishment candidates, one from from FTU (who won) and one self-proclaimed independent (who lost with respectable votes) in the two relevant constituencies, have diluted the Liberal Party's support.

This gives rise to the speculation that the pro-establishment camp (read pro-Beijing) has taken away their endorsement from the Liberal Party. Liberal Party maybe regarded by the Pro-establishment as not sufficiently reliable. It is still remembered that the Liberal Party ditched Tung's at the eleventh hour in opposing the article 23 legislation.

Civil Party won an extra seat in the Hong Island constituency at the expense of Democratic Party giving the party 4 geographical seats. Elsewhere, Civil Party has failed to make inroad. Civil Party was not formed in the last election and this makes the analysis difficult.

One of their candidate who retained the seat for Civil Party managed only 16.6% of votes compared to 19% in 2008. The party may have won more geographical constituencies but that is done at the expenses of their fellow Pan-Dem - the Democratic Party. Without a strong grassroot organization, reliance on celebrity barristers (all elected are barristers by porfession) alone may be problematic to the party in the future.

LSD, the more radical Pan-Dem saw an increase of support. Two of LSD winners won their seats with second highest number of vote in the multi-seat constituencies they contested. This is evident that there is a growing base of supporters for LSD who favor more vocal and sometimes theatrical opposition to the government amid an econimic downturn.

Despite a low turnout which generally favors the Pro-Establishment camp, Pan-Dem has reason to feel relieve with their accomplishment.

Post-note:

In a skewed electoral system where half of the seats are elected via functional constituencies. The Pro-Establishment camp continued to do well and have 35 seats. Pan-Dem retained only 4 functional seats and had only 23 seats in the new Legco. 2 functional seats are held by independents without affiliation.

The major party distribution In the new Legco ( functional seats in bracket)

DAB 10(3)

LP 7(7)

DP 8(1)

CP 5(1)