In Hong Kong's legislative election, new candidates and parties engaged in fierce competition in directly elected geographical constituencies. Parties are adapting by building stronger community ties and diversifying, which helps bridge the gap between policymakers and the public. The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong secured victories for all its candidates in the Election Committee constituency, highlighting its leadership in electioneering.
Hong Kong's Eighth Legislative Council election took place recently, with Hongkongers casting ballots in the city's legislative poll. The contest for directly elected geographical constituencies was highly competitive, featuring many new candidates and political groups vying for seats. Some candidates were fielded by groups with strongholds in trade-based functional constituencies, which are indirectly elected.
This development is welcome. Establishing direct ties in communities will help political groups stay more in touch with the public, steer their mindsets, address blind spots, and bridge the gap between policymakers and the masses. As long as these groups continue community building on the ground and position themselves in geographical constituencies, the people and the city benefit.
Large parties must adapt and become more diverse. The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB) has achieved this. All candidates it fielded for the Election Committee constituency won—for other parties, there are lessons: the DAB remains the leader in electioneering work.
Parties are navigating the new landscape through fiercer contests, fresh faces, and enhanced ground-level engagement, including efforts by the New People's Party (NPP) and figures like Chan Hoi-yan. Under Beijing's framework, Hong Kong's electoral system emphasizes patriots administering the city.
