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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Hong Kong democrats keep veto | Hong Kong democrats keep veto |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp has won more than a third of the seats in legislative elections, and so retains a key veto over future bills. | Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp has won more than a third of the seats in legislative elections, and so retains a key veto over future bills. |
| The pro-democracy opposition won 23 out of the 30 elected seats in the Legislative Council. | The pro-democracy opposition won 23 out of the 30 elected seats in the Legislative Council. |
| The other 30 seats in the council are not directly elected, but allocated to special interest groups. | The other 30 seats in the council are not directly elected, but allocated to special interest groups. |
| The Pro-Beijing camp had expected to make gains at the polls due to a surge of patriotism after the Olympics. | The Pro-Beijing camp had expected to make gains at the polls due to a surge of patriotism after the Olympics. |
| Even some of the candidates on the pro-democracy side had been predicting the worst. | Even some of the candidates on the pro-democracy side had been predicting the worst. |
| Some were even in tears before the results came in, expecting to lose. | Some were even in tears before the results came in, expecting to lose. |
| Tougher battle | Tougher battle |
| Hong Kong's political landscape is roughly divided along pro-Beijing and pro-democracy lines. | Hong Kong's political landscape is roughly divided along pro-Beijing and pro-democracy lines. |
| Since the territory returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997, the pro-democracy parties have fared consistently well in the polls. | Since the territory returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997, the pro-democracy parties have fared consistently well in the polls. |
| But there were fears that, this time, the situation would be different. | But there were fears that, this time, the situation would be different. |
| Independent candidate Regina Ip was successful in her bid for a seatAnalysts had believed that pro-government parties would make significant gains after the surge in Chinese patriotism sparked by the Beijing Olympics and the Sichuan earthquake. | Independent candidate Regina Ip was successful in her bid for a seatAnalysts had believed that pro-government parties would make significant gains after the surge in Chinese patriotism sparked by the Beijing Olympics and the Sichuan earthquake. |
| China had also promised the region some form of universal suffrage by 2017, blunting the democratic camp's campaign. | China had also promised the region some form of universal suffrage by 2017, blunting the democratic camp's campaign. |
| There were also concerns that issues such as wages, inflation and education may eclipse the desire for democratic reform. | There were also concerns that issues such as wages, inflation and education may eclipse the desire for democratic reform. |
| But in the event, the result was not as bad as the democratic camp had expected. | But in the event, the result was not as bad as the democratic camp had expected. |
| It won 23 seats, compared to the 26 it had previously, but held on to its crucial power of veto - giving it the ability to throw out controversial government plans. | |
| "Hong Kong people still have aspiration for full democracy," said Alan Leong, a member of the opposition Civic Party, who was re-elected. "Those in power can't afford to ignore it". | "Hong Kong people still have aspiration for full democracy," said Alan Leong, a member of the opposition Civic Party, who was re-elected. "Those in power can't afford to ignore it". |
| Other leading pro-democracy figures such as Emily Lau, Audrey Eu and Leung Kwok-hung, also known as Longhair, also fought off stiff competition to keep their seat. | Other leading pro-democracy figures such as Emily Lau, Audrey Eu and Leung Kwok-hung, also known as Longhair, also fought off stiff competition to keep their seat. |
| But the pro-China Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB), also did well, scoring huge majorities in some districts. | But the pro-China Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB), also did well, scoring huge majorities in some districts. |
| So too did the independent candidate Regina Ip, who won her seat. | So too did the independent candidate Regina Ip, who won her seat. |
| The pro-business Liberal Party saw its leader and deputy leader deposed in voting that leaves the party in disarray. | The pro-business Liberal Party saw its leader and deputy leader deposed in voting that leaves the party in disarray. |
| Hong Kong is ultimately controlled by Beijing, but China mostly leaves the territory to govern itself, designating it a Special Administrative Region. | Hong Kong is ultimately controlled by Beijing, but China mostly leaves the territory to govern itself, designating it a Special Administrative Region. |
| Under this "one country, two systems" model, Hong Kong citizens enjoy far more rights and freedoms than their mainland neighbours. | Under this "one country, two systems" model, Hong Kong citizens enjoy far more rights and freedoms than their mainland neighbours. |