League of Social Democrats

{{Infobox political party

| country = Hong Kong

| name = League of Social Democrats

| native_name = {{noitalics|{{nobold|社會民主連線}}}}

| native_name_lang = zh-hk

| logo = League of Social Democrats Logo.svg

| logo_size = 180px

| abbreviation = LSD

| colorcode = {{party color|League of Social Democrats}}

| chairperson = Chan Po-ying (final)

| foundation = {{start date|2006|10|1|df=yes}}

| dissolution = {{end date|2025|6|29|df=yes}}

| position = Centre-left to left-wing

| membership_year = 2016

| membership = Over 57{{cite web|url=https://www.lsd.org.hk/2016/02/21/%e7%a4%be%e6%9c%83%e6%b0%91%e4%b8%bb%e9%80%a3%e7%b7%9a%e7%ac%ac%e5%85%ad%e5%b1%86%e7%ac%ac%e4%b8%80%e6%ac%a1%e9%80%b1%e5%b9%b4%e6%9c%83%e5%93%a1%e5%a4%a7%e6%9c%83%e9%81%b8%e8%88%89%e7%b5%90%e6%9e%9c/|title=社會民主連線第六屆第一次週年會員大會選舉結果|date=2016-02-21|publisher=LSD}}

| headquarters = Flat B2, 4/F, Tai Cheong
Factory Building,
3 Wing Ming Street,
Cheung Sha Wan,
Kowloon

| ideology = {{ubl|Social democracy|Direct democracy|Left-wing populism}}

| international =

| affiliation1_title = Regional affiliation

| affiliation1 = Pro-democracy camp

| colours = {{colour box|{{party color|League of Social Democrats}}}} Red

| website = {{URL|https://lsd.org.hk}}

}}

{{Chinese

| t = 社會民主連線

| s = 社会民主连线

| p = Shèhuì Mínzhǔ Liánxiàn

| j = Se⁵ wui^6*2 man⁴ zyu² Lin⁴ sin³

| y = Séh wuih màhn jyú Lìhn sin

}}

The League of Social Democrats (LSD) was a social democratic party in Hong Kong. Chaired by Chan Po-ying, wife of Leung Kwok-hung, it positions itself as the radical wing of the pro-democracy camp and stresses on "street actions" and "parliamentary struggles".

Established in 2006 by a group of pro-grassroots left-leaning activists, the party opposes the perceived moderate and compromising approach of its pro-democratic allies Democratic Party and Civic Party and called for more aggressive tactics to achieve democracy. It often found itself at odds with other pan-democrats due to its confrontational and radical activism in the Legislative Council. The party first participated in the 2008 Legislative Council election and won over the 10 per cent of the popular vote and emerged as the new force with three seats.

In 2010, the League launched the "Five Constituencies Referendum" campaign to pressure the government to implement universal suffrage no later than 2012. The plan was joined by the Civics but rejected by the Democrats. The plan to target the Democratic Party in the following District Council election, as well as personal differences, led to a devastating factional struggles between the founding chairman Wong Yuk-man and his successor Andrew To, which resulted in the Wong's faction splitting from the party to form the People Power, leaving the party with only one legislator Leung Kwok-hung.

The party suffered a sharp decline in the 2012 Legislative Council election but resumed a cooperative relationship with the People Power in the issues such as filibustering in the legislature and street activisms. Facing the rise of localism, the two parties formed an electoral coalition in the 2016 Legislative Council election which received seven per cent of the vote with Leung Kwok-hung being re-elected. Leung was subsequently disqualified over his oath-taking manner in 2017, leaving the party without any elected representation.

In the massive pro-democracy protests in 2019, its party member Jimmy Sham, who was also the convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), won one of two seats for the party in the following District Council election, and also won the nomination in the 2020 pro-democracy primaries where Leung Kwok-hung failed to secure a nomination. The party was dissolved in June 2025, amidst the political crackdown from the government.

Party beliefs

The LSD was considered to be the "radical wing" of the pro-democracy camp by its political beliefs and tactics. It was formed by legislators, social activists and grassroots residents. It aims to be a "clear-cut opposition party" and defend the interests of the grassroots. It opposes the wealth inequality created by collusions between the government and corporations. It positions itself as a social democratic party{{cite web |title=關於社民連 |date=14 July 2016 |url=http://www.lsd.org.hk/about/ |publisher=League of Social Democrats |access-date=30 July 2020 |language=zh-Hant-HK}} and believes that a just society can be achieved by redistribution of wealth, economic interventionism and direct democracy.{{cite web|url=http://www.lsd.org.hk/index.php/aboutus|script-title=zh:關於社民連|language=zh|work=League of Social Democrats|title=About Us|access-date=7 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103040824/http://www.lsd.org.hk/index.php/aboutus|archive-date=3 January 2014|url-status=dead}}

Tactics

=Protests=

Members of the party pioneered the use of theatrics and disruptive tactics in Hong Kong. Heckling and the throwing of projectiles have since become a frequent occurrence at Legislative Council and public meetings. Their members have been ejected from LegCo meetings on numerous occasions. At a Legislative council meeting on 15 October 2008, during the Policy Address given by then Chief Executive Donald Tsang, party chairman Wong Yuk-man threw a banana at Tsang in protest at the means test of "fruit money" (Old Age Allowance) for the elderly.

At the opening of an exhibition at the Museum of History on 2 March 2011, Steve Wong Chun-kit, member of the League of Social Democrats rushed at Donald Tsang. Protesters also threw cooked rice at Tsang, as a symbol of the plight of the poor, but missed him. Tsang said his chest was hit by the protestor and had a medical check at the Queen Mary Hospital afterwards. Tsang denounced the protest, saying that violence was unacceptable in Hong Kong, where civilised behaviour and the rule of law were fundamental values. However Leung Kwok-hung said he did not see any physical contact between Tsang and protesters. Steve Wong was arrested and released on bail.{{cite news|url=http://yp.scmp.com/home/website/Article.aspx?id=2822|title=Outrage after protester attacks Donald Tsang at gallery|date=3 March 2011|first1=Danny|last1=Mok|first2=Tanna|last2=Chong|newspaper=South China Morning Post}}

At CY Leung's first question-and-answer session as Chief Executive at the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on 16 July 2012, "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung threw an effigy of Pinocchio at CY Leung.{{cite news|url=http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/07/16/12765706-protester-hurls-pinnochio-effigy-at-hong-kong-leader|title=Protester hurls Pinnochio effigy at Hong Kong leader|work=NBC News}}

Leung Kwok-hung threw a cloud-shaped cushion at Financial Secretary John Tsang during his budget report in the Legislative Council on 27 February 2013 to demand for a universal retirement protection scheme.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/ballot-boxing-politics-turns-into-a-punchup-8515327.html?action=gallery|title=Ballot boxing: Politics turns into a punch-up – 1/10|work=The Independent}}

At a political forum on 7 December 2013, one member was captured by the media throwing a Lufsig, a cuddly toy wolf at CY Leung.{{cite news|last=McBain|first=Sophie|date=10 December 2013|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/business/2013/12/how-lufsig-cuddly-wolf-became-hong-kong-protest-symbol|title=How Lufsig the cuddly wolf became a Hong Kong protest symbol – A short lesson in the art of mistranslating names into Chinese|work=The New Statesman}}

=Filibusters=

In May 2012, Leung Kwok-hung, the only LSD member in the Legislative Council joined a weeks-long filibuster staged by Albert Chan and Wong Yuk-man, who were LSD legislators but defected to the People Power, submitting 1306 amendments altogether to the Legislative Council (Amendment) Bill 2012, by which the government attempted to forbid resigning lawmakers from participating in by-elections as the government's response to the "Five Constituency Referendum movement" launched by the LSD in 2010. On the morning of 17 May 2012, Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, President of the Legislative Council adopt Article 92 of the Standing Order, which allows the president follow foreign parliament rules for unregulated behaviours to terminate the debate. In the end, all amendments were defeated and the Bill was passed.

In May 2013, the LSD and People Power staged a month-long filibuster by moving a total of 710 amendments on the Budget Appropriation Bill debate, to press for a universal pension scheme and a HK$10,000 cash handout to be included in John Tsang's budget.{{cite news|url=http://rthk.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/20130429/news_20130429_56_918542.htm|title=Filibustering continues over budget|date=29 April 2013|access-date=30 April 2013|agency=RTHK}} The government warned that the service would shut down if the budget bill do not pass. Jasper Tsang ordered to end the filibuster on 13 May after 55 hours spent to debate 17 of the 148 amendments.{{cite news|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1236703/legco-president-jasper-tsang-orders-end-budget-bill-filibuster|title=Legco president Jasper Tsang orders end to budget bill filibuster|last=Lai|first=Ying-kit|newspaper=South China Morning Post|date=13 May 2013|access-date=14 May 2013}} The Appropriation Bill was passed on 21 May 2013 with 684 amendments negatived.[http://app.legco.gov.hk/reporter/english/report.aspx?i=87 LegCo Reporter Council Meeting 2012–2013 Issue No. 28 (21 May 2013)]

History

=Founding and early years (2006–10)=

The LSD was founded on 1 October 2006. The two Legislative Councillors, Leung Kwok-hung, activist from the April Fifth Action Group, and Albert Chan, former Democratic Party member, were the founding members. Radio host, author and former journalism professor Wong Yuk-man became the first Chairman of the party.

In the participation in the 2007 Chief Executive Election of Alan Leong, the League of Social Democrats refused to co-operate with the Democratic Party and the Civic Party and criticised the two parties for nominating Leong as Chief Executive candidate, saying that they are not qualified as democrats.{{cite news|url=http://www.lsd.org.hk/index.php/doc/detail/1452|script-title=zh:社民連與民主公民兩黨割席|date=24 November 2006|newspaper=Sing Pao|language=zh|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222143045/http://www.lsd.org.hk/index.php/doc/detail/1452|archive-date=22 February 2014|df=dmy-all}} In the 2006 Election Committee election, the League was criticised by media for refusing to name a candidate in protest at the "small-circle election".

The LSD won six seats its first attempt in the election in the 2007 District Council elections. In late December 2007, the Vice-Chairman of the party, Lo Wing-lok, resigned after a controversy over the lack of documentation on the lease of the party headquarters. According to Lo, the premises belonged to an alleged triad member who claimed to be a merchant.{{cite web|url=http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/20071229/news_20071229_56_457304.htm |title=RTHK Online News |publisher=Rthk.org.hk |date=29 December 2007 |access-date=1 October 2013}}

In the 2008 LegCo elections, the party emerged as the sixth largest party in the legislature by gaining over 10 percent of the vote and winning total of three seats with chairman Wong Yuk-man winning a seat in the Kowloon West geographical constituency and Leung Kwok-hung and Albert Chan retained their seats respectively. The LSD fiercely criticised the other democratic parties during the campaign. In Kowloon East Andrew To Kwan-hang has accused the Democratic Party of wrongly backing the government's move to privatise the Link Reit Investment Trust, thus paving the way for hefty rent rises in public housing commercial and parking facilities. In Kowloon West, Wong Yuk-man lambasted the Civic Party's Claudia Mo in the same way he did the candidates from the pro-Beijing, pro-government flagship party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), accusing the Civic Party of applying double standards in its fight for democracy, and being elitist.{{cite news|title=Infighting threatens pro-democracy camp|url=http://www.scmp.com/article/651224/infighting-threatens-pro-democracy-camp|first=Chris|last=Yeung|date=3 September 2008|newspaper=South China Morning Post}}

=2010 electoral reform and splits (2010–16)=

The party was a member of the Alliance for Universal Suffrage which consisted of all the pro-democracy groups to strive for the 2012 universal suffrage of the Chief Executive and Legislative Council. In response to the electoral reform package proposed by the government, the party joined hand with the Civic Party to launch the "Five Constituency Referendum" by having five legislators resigning and participating in a territory-wide by-election to demand genuine universal suffrage. The claim of by-election as referendum expectedly received severe attacks from the Beijing government and the pro-Beijing camp in Hong Kong as unconstitutional.{{cite book|title=Media, Social Mobilisation and Mass Protests in Post-colonial Hong Kong: The Power of a Critical Event|first1=Francis L. F.|last1=Lee|first2=Joseph M.|last2=Chan|publisher=Routledge|year=2010}} The Democratic Party refused to join the movement and sought for a less confrontational way to negotiate with Beijing. The movement was considered as failure with only 17.7 percent of the registered voters voted despite all three LSD legislators successfully returned to the LegCo. The LSD strongly criticised the Democratic Party for its move to negotiate with Beijing and voted for the reform package and attacked the Democratic Party in the following 2010 July 1 march.

The party was also heavily devastated from the intra-party struggles. The former chairman Wong Yuk-man disagreed with the policies of the incumbent chairman Andrew To including the ways of dealing with the Democratic Party. In November 2010, Wong Yuk-man's protege Edward Yum led a no-confidence motion against To which was defeated by 111 to 170 at an extraordinary general party meeting.{{cite news|title=PARTY LINE UPDATES: Democrats in Disarray|date=24 January 2011|first=Suzanne|last=Pepper|url=https://chinaelectionsblog.net/2011/01/24/party-line-updates-democrats-in-disarray/}} After the failure of toppling To's chairmanship, on 24 January 2011, two of the three legislators of the party, Wong Yuk-man and Albert Chan quit the party with many party's leading figures, citing disagreement with leader Andrew To and his faction. About two hundreds of their supporters joined them, leaving the LSD in disarray.{{cite news|url=http://news.mingpao.com/20110124/gaa1.htm|script-title=zh:黃毓民倒戈社民連分裂伙陳偉業牽頭退黨長毛未有決定|newspaper=Mingpao|date=24 January 2011|language=zh}}{{cite news|title=League on verge of collapse as heavyweights lead party exodus|newspaper=South China Morning Post|date=24 January 2011}} Wong and Chan formed the People Power with other defected members and radical groups which aimed at sniping Democratic Party in the upcoming 2011 District Council elections.{{cite news|script-title=zh:600支持者出席集思會黃毓民、陳偉業率200人退出社民連|language=zh|url=http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/news/art/20110124/14900865|date=24 January 2011|newspaper=Apple Daily}}

The party lost all its seats in the District Councils in the District Council elections in November, all four of the party's seats were swept by the pro-Beijing candidates, including that of Andrew To for Chuk Yuen North constituency. 23 other League candidates also failed to win. Two days later, Andrew To resigned as chairman, to take responsibility for the loss, but pledged not to alter the LSD's ideology for the sake of winning elections.{{cite news|url=http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/news.htm?englishnews&20111108&56&796570|title=League head quits after poll disaster|work=Radio Television Hong Kong|date=8 November 2011}} Leung Kwok-hung replaced To as the Chairman of the LSD.

=Ousted from legislature (2016–20)=

In February 2016, the party selected its sixth Executive Committee and new leaders. Avery Ng succeeded Leung as the new chairman and Raphael Wong and Derek Chan Tak-cheung as vice-chairman.{{cite news|title=吳文遠任社民連主席|date=22 February 2016|newspaper=Apple Daily|url=http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/news/art/20160222/19500913}}

In the 2016 Legislative Council election, the LSD formed an electoral alliance with another radical democrat People Power as they were facing serious challenges from the newly emerging radical localist camp. The alliance won two seats in total with sole League legislator Leung Kwok-hung and People Power's Ray Chan being re-elected in the New Territories East. Former LSD legislator Albert Chan failed to help LSD's Raphael Wong to be elected despite him standing as a second candidate in the New Territories West. LSD chairman Avery Ng also lost his bid in Kowloon West.

In the 2017 Chief Executive election, LSD legislator Leung Kwok-hung launched his Chief Executive bid in February 2017 through a "public nomination" mechanism, in which he would seek to secure 37,790 votes from members of the public, one per cent of the city's registered voters before he would canvass for the nominations from the Election Committee.{{cite news|title='Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung enters chief executive race, urging allies not to vote for 'lesser evils'|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/2069091/long-hair-leung-kwok-hung-enters-ce-race-urging-allies-not-vote|date=8 February 2017|newspaper=South China Morning Post}} Leung dropped out from the race on 25 February after failed to gain enough nominations from the public, secured only 20,234 nominations.{{cite news|title=【特首選戰】長毛宣佈不參選：2萬人撐證公民提名可行|newspaper=Apple Daily|date=25 February 2017|url=http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/news/20170225/56352794}}

In July 2017, Leung Kwok-hung was unseated with three other pro-democracy legislators due to their manners at the oath-taking ceremony at the inaugural meeting, where Leung had used it as a platform to protest since he was first elected in 2004, which made the LSD lost its only seat in the legislature.{{cite magazine|title=Four More Hong Kong Lawmakers Ousted In a Blow to Democratic Hopes|url=https://time.com/4856181/hong-kong-lawmakers-oath-china-disqualified/|magazine=TIME|date=17 July 2017}}

In 2019, in the aftermath of the massive Hong Kong pro-democracy protests two prominent members of LSD namely, political and LGBT activist Jimmy Sham and Citizens' Radio founder Tsang Kin-shing were elected in the 2019 District Council elections as part of the electoral landslide by the pro-democracy camp. In spite of this, Leung Kwok-hung was narrowly defeated in his bid to unseat incumbent lawmaker Starry Lee in the To Kwa Wan North in the Kowloon City District Council.{{cite news |title=Early results suggest landslide win for pan-dems |url=https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1494208-20191125.htm |work=RTHK |date=25 November 2019}}

= Security law and crackdown (2020–25) =

On 6 January 2021, vice-chair persons of the party Leung Kwok-hung and Jimmy Sham were arrested for violation of the national security law.{{cite news |title=Hong Kong arrests dozens of pro-democracy activists |url=https://www.economist.com/china/2021/01/09/hong-kong-arrests-dozens-of-pro-democracy-activists |access-date=12 March 2021 |newspaper=The Economist |date=9 January 2021}} They were released on bail the next day but charged with subversion on 28 February 2021.{{cite news |title=Hong Kong charges 47 activists in largest use yet of new security law |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-56228363 |access-date=12 March 2021 |agency=BBC News |date=1 March 2021}} As of 12 March 2021, both Leung and Sham remain in custody after being denied bail twice and were in prison until their next hearing on the case on 31 May 2021.{{cite news |last1=Wong |first1=Brian |title=National security law: bail denied again for 11 of the 47 Hong Kong opposition figures charged with subversion; 10 others withdraw bids at last minute |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3125152/national-security-law-bail-denied-again-11-47-hong |access-date=12 March 2021 |work=South China Morning Post |date=12 March 2021}} On 31 May, the court postponed further court proceedings until 8 July 2021. Both Leung and Sham (along with the rest of defendants) will be presented with evidence before 28 June and they will be able to enter a plea. Otherwise, their case will be referred to the High Court.{{cite news |last1=Pang |first1=Jessie |title=Court case of 47 Hong Kong democracy activists to resume on July 8 |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/china/47-hk-activists-back-court-subversion-charges-after-bail-hearings-ordeal-2021-05-31/ |access-date=6 June 2021 |work=Reuters |date=3 June 2021}}

Chan Po-ying, Leung Kwok-hung's wife, was elected as the LSD's new chairperson during a special meeting on 25 July 2021, replacing Raphael Wong. Dickson Chau was also elected as vice chairman (external affairs), replacing Leung Kwok-hung, who was jailed for his role in the 2019 protests.{{Cite web|title=Chan Po-ying elected new chair of LSD - RTHK|url=https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1602538-20210726.htm?|access-date=2021-07-26|website=news.rthk.hk|language=en-gb}}{{Cite web|date=2021-07-26|title=Chan Po-ying elected to head Hong Kong's pro-democracy League of Social Democrats|url=https://hongkongfp.com/2021/07/26/chan-po-ying-elected-to-head-hong-kongs-pro-democracy-league-of-social-democrats/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP|language=en-GB}}

On 1 June 2021, the party's leader Raphael Wong announced that the party will not participate in the upcoming legislative election after accusing the Chinese Communist Party of "wiping out dissidents". The move comes after the party is almost decimated after the arrests of Leung Kwok-hung, Jimmy Sham and Avery Ng.{{cite news |title=League of Social Democrats to boycott upcoming polls |url=https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1593686-20210601.htm |access-date=2 June 2021 |work=RTHK |date=1 June 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Chau |first1=Candice |title=Pro-democracy party says it won't take part in Hong Kong elections following overhaul ordered by Beijing |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2021/06/02/pro-democracy-party-says-it-wont-take-part-in-hong-kong-elections-following-overhaul-ordered-by-beijing/ |access-date=2 June 2021 |work=Hong Kong Free Press |date=1 June 2021}}

= Dissolution =

LSD is described as the last active party of the rump pro-democracy bloc after allies were forced to disband or turn silent following crackdown on the pro-democracy camp.{{Cite web |title=‘Immense pressure’: Hong Kong’s last major pro-democracy party disbands |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/29/hong-kong-league-of-social-democrats-announces-disbandment |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}} The party continued its small-scale, occasional street activism, such as street booth activities calling for labour rights and one-man commemorations of Tiananmen massacre.{{Cite web |date=2025-06-29 |title=香港社民連七一前夕宣布解散曾為民主派第三大政黨 |url=https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/articles/ckg3e7nm4klo/trad |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=BBC News 中文 |language=zh-hant}} Pressure grew and the party faced dozens of charges and fines including "illegal fundraising".{{Cite web |last=student |date=2025-01-14 |title=Survival Game of the Hong Kong Democrats |url=https://varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/2025/01/survival-game-of-the-hong-kong-democrats/ |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=Varsity |language=en-GB}} In 2021, Raphael Wong was jailed for unauthorised assembly and Chan Po-ying became the new leader of the party.{{Cite web |last=Chau |first=Candice |date=2021-07-26 |title=Chan Po-ying elected to head Hong Kong's pro-democracy League of Social Democrats |url=http://hongkongfp.com/2021/07/26/chan-po-ying-elected-to-head-hong-kongs-pro-democracy-league-of-social-democrats/ |access-date=2025-07-07 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}} After taking the realm of the protest group, Chan was under increasing police surveillance. On one occasion she and other members were briefly detained by the police when went hiking, and on another surrounded by dozens of police at rallies. The party was also contacted by the authorities "suggesting" they do not petition to the government on politically sensitive dates.{{Cite news |last=May |first=Tiffany |date=2024-11-27 |title=Meet One of Hong Kong’s Last Remaining Pro-Democracy Activists |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/27/world/asia/hong-kong-democracy-activist.html |access-date=2025-07-06 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

On 25 June 2025 local media reported that "middle men" had reached LSD three times throughout the past six months, demanding the party to dissolve by 1 July or face serious consequences,{{Cite web |title=今日信報 - 時事評論 - 社民連擬七一前解散泛民政團將清零 - 余錦賢 - 香港脈搏 |url=https://www.hkej.com/dailynews/article/id/4119067/%E7%A4%BE%E6%B0%91%E9%80%A3%E6%93%AC%E4%B8%83%E4%B8%80%E5%89%8D%E8%A7%A3%E6%95%A3+%E6%B3%9B%E6%B0%91%E6%94%BF%E5%9C%98%E5%B0%87%E6%B8%85%E9%9B%B6 |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=信報網站 hkej.com |language=zh-hk}} although LSD had said they were not requested to end when Democratic Party announced plans to disbandment in April. After consulting party members including Leung Kwok-hung, Chan Po-ying announced the dissolution of the party on 29 June 2025, citing immense political pressure from the government throughout the national security crackdown since 2020.{{cite news |title=Hong Kong's League of Social Democrats announces its disbandment |url=https://www.thestandard.com.hk/hong-kong-news/article/305662/Hong-Kongs-League-of-Social-Democrats-announces-its-disbandment |access-date=29 June 2025 |work=The Standard |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=29 June 2025 |title=The last Hong Kong pro-democracy party that held street protests disbands |url=https://apnews.com/article/league-social-democrats-disbands-prodemocracy-party-hong-7618d8dba691a2342625fed25572fc57 |access-date=29 June 2025 |website=AP News |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Pomfret |first=James |last2=Pang |first2=Jessie |last3=Pomfret |first3=James |last4=Pang |first4=Jessie |date=2025-06-29 |title=Hong Kong's last active pro-democracy group says it will disband amid security crackdown |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kongs-last-active-pro-democracy-group-says-it-will-disband-amid-security-2025-06-29/ |access-date=2025-06-30 |work=Reuters |language=en}} The party chair declined to disclose further details concerning their decision.{{Cite web |date=2025-06-29 |title=社民連解散｜今開記招陳寶瑩：強大政治壓力沉痛宣布解散︱Yahoo |url=https://hk.news.yahoo.com/%E7%A4%BE%E6%B0%91%E9%80%A3%E8%A7%A3%E6%95%A3%EF%BD%9C%E4%BB%8A%E9%96%8B%E8%A8%98%E6%8B%9B-%E9%99%B3%E5%AF%B6%E7%91%A9%EF%BC%9A%E5%BC%B7%E5%A4%A7%E6%94%BF%E6%B2%BB%E5%A3%93%E5%8A%9B-%E6%B2%89%E7%97%9B%E5%AE%A3%E5%B8%83%E8%A7%A3%E6%95%A3%EF%B8%B1yahoo-073550537.html |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=Yahoo News |language=zh-Hant-HK}} With the end of LSD, the pro-democracy camp is considered to have come to an end without any active political groups.{{Cite web |date=2025-07-02 |title=回歸 28 年｜由盛放到覆滅回顧民主派政治團體土崩瓦解 - 集誌社 |url=https://thecollectivehk.com/%e5%9b%9e%e6%ad%b828%e5%b9%b4%e7%94%b1%e7%9b%9b%e6%94%be%e5%88%b0%e8%a6%86%e6%bb%85%e5%9b%9e%e9%a1%a7%e6%b0%91%e4%b8%bb%e6%b4%be%e6%94%bf%e6%b2%bb%e5%9c%98%e9%ab%94%e5%9c%9f%e5%b4%a9%e7%93%a6%e8%a7%a3/ |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=thecollectivehk.com |language=en-US}}

Performance in elections

=Chief Executive elections=

class=wikitable style="text-align: right;"
align=center ! Election ! Candidate ! # of votes ! % of vote
2017 \| align=left\| Leung Kwok-hung \| colspan=2 align=center \| Not nominated

class=wikitable style="text-align: right;"

align=center

! Election

! Candidate

! # of votes

! % of vote

2017

| align=left| Leung Kwok-hung

| colspan=2 align=center | Not nominated

=Legislative Council elections=

class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
align=center ! Election ! Number of popular votes ! % of popular votes ! GC seats ! FC seats ! EC seats ! Total seats ! +/− ! Position
2008 \| 153,390{{nochange}} \| 10.12{{nochange}} \| 3 \| 0 \| rowspan="3"\| \| {{Composition bar\|3\|60\|hex={{party color\|League of Social Democrats}}}} \| 1{{increase}} \| 6th{{nochange}}
2012 \| 87,997{{decrease}} \| 4.86{{decrease}} \| 1 \| 0 \| {{Composition bar\|1\|70\|hex={{party color\|League of Social Democrats}}}} \| 0{{nochange}} \| 10th{{decrease}}
2016 \| colspan=2 align=center \| PP/LSD ticket \| 1 \| 0 \| {{Composition bar\|1\|70\|hex={{party color\|League of Social Democrats}}}} \| 0{{nochange}} \| 10th{{increase}}
2021 \| colspan="2" align=center \| Boycotted \| 0 \| 0 \| 0 \| {{Composition bar\|0\|90\|hex={{party color\|League of Social Democrats}}}} \| 1{{decrease}} \| N/A

class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"

align=center

! Election

! Number of
popular votes

! % of
popular votes

! GC
seats

! FC
seats

! EC
seats

! Total seats

! +/−

! Position

2008

| 153,390{{nochange}}

| 10.12{{nochange}}

| 3

| 0

| rowspan="3"|

| {{Composition bar|3|60|hex={{party color|League of Social Democrats}}}}

| 1{{increase}}

| 6th{{nochange}}

2012

| 87,997{{decrease}}

| 4.86{{decrease}}

| 1

| 0

| {{Composition bar|1|70|hex={{party color|League of Social Democrats}}}}

| 0{{nochange}}

| 10th{{decrease}}

2016

| colspan=2 align=center | PP/LSD ticket

| 1

| 0

| {{Composition bar|1|70|hex={{party color|League of Social Democrats}}}}

| 0{{nochange}}

| 10th{{increase}}

2021

| colspan="2" align=center | Boycotted

| 0

| {{Composition bar|0|90|hex={{party color|League of Social Democrats}}}}

| 1{{decrease}}

| N/A

=District Council elections=

class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
align=center ! Election ! Number of popular votes ! % of popular votes ! Total elected seats ! +/−
2007 \| 28,601{{nochange}} \| 2.51{{nochange}} \| {{Composition bar\|6\|405\|hex={{party color\|League of Social Democrats}}}} \| 0{{nochange}}
2011 \| 21,833{{decrease}} \| 1.85{{decrease}} \| {{Composition bar\|0\|412\|hex={{party color\|League of Social Democrats}}}} \| 5{{decrease}}
2015 \| 6,526{{decrease}} \| 0.45{{decrease}} \| {{Composition bar\|0\|431\|hex={{party color\|League of Social Democrats}}}} \| 0{{nochange}}
2019 \| 8,384{{increase}} \| 0.29{{decrease}} \| {{Composition bar\|2\|452\|hex={{party color\|League of Social Democrats}}}} \| 2{{increase}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"

align=center

! Election

! Number of
popular votes

! % of
popular votes

! Total
elected seats

! +/−

2007

| 28,601{{nochange}}

| 2.51{{nochange}}

| {{Composition bar|6|405|hex={{party color|League of Social Democrats}}}}

| 0{{nochange}}

2011

| 21,833{{decrease}}

| 1.85{{decrease}}

| {{Composition bar|0|412|hex={{party color|League of Social Democrats}}}}

| 5{{decrease}}

2015

| 6,526{{decrease}}

| 0.45{{decrease}}

| {{Composition bar|0|431|hex={{party color|League of Social Democrats}}}}

| 0{{nochange}}

2019

| 8,384{{increase}}

| 0.29{{decrease}}

| {{Composition bar|2|452|hex={{party color|League of Social Democrats}}}}

| 2{{increase}}

Leadership

=Chairpersons=

Wong Yuk-man, 2006–10
Andrew To Kwan-hang, 2010–11
Tang Chui-chung, acting 2011–12
Leung Kwok-hung, 2012–16
Avery Ng Man-yuen, 2016–20
Raphael Wong Ho-ming, 2020–21
Chan Po-ying, 2021–25

=Vice-chairpersons (External Affairs)=

Lo Wing-lok, 2006–07
Andrew To Kwan-hang, 2008–10
Avery Ng Man-yuen, 2012–16
Raphael Wong Ho-ming, 2016–20
Leung Kwok-hung, 2020–21
Dickson Chau Ka-faat, 2021–25

=Vice-chairpersons (Internal Affairs)=

Michael Mak Kwok-fung, 2006–2010
Lee Wai-yee, 2008–2010
Avery Ng Man-yuen, 2010–2012
Tang Chui-chung, 2012–2014
Raphael Wong Ho-ming, 2014–2016
Derek Chan Tak-cheung, 2016
Jaco Chow Nok-hang, 2018–2020
Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit, 2020–21
Yu Wai-pun, 2021–25

References

External links

[http://www.lsd.org.hk League of Social Democrats]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110901100310/http://www.lsdfans.com/ Lsd fans]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20080619034049/http://www.worldjournal.com/wj-hk-news.php?nt_seq_id=1342061 Worldjournal.com]

Category:Political parties established in 2006

Category:Political parties in Hong Kong

Category:Social democratic parties in Hong Kong

Category:2006 establishments in Hong Kong

Category:Liberal parties in Hong Kong

Category:Political parties disestablished in 2025