# Neo Democrats

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Political party in Hong Kong

Neo Democrats 新民主同盟 Convenors Yam Kai-bong Chow Yuen-wai Lui Man-kwong Founded 2 October 2010 (2010-10-02) Dissolved 26 June 2021 (2021-06-26) Split from Democratic Party Headquarters Flat F, 22/F, 6–20 Yin Chong Street, Kowloon Ideology Localism (HK) Liberalism (HK) Populism Regional affiliation Pro-democracy camp Colours Gold/Orange Website neodemocrats.hk(defunct) Politics of Hong Kong Political parties Elections

Neo Democrats Traditional Chinese 新民主同盟 Transcriptions Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Sān Màhn jyú Tùhng màhng Jyutping San1 Man4 zyu2 Tung4 mang4

Politics and government of Hong Kong Laws Basic Law Drafting Committee Consultative Committee Article 23 (national security laws) 2020 law 2024 law Article 45 Article 46 Article 69 One country, two systems Sino–British Joint Declaration Criminal law Capital punishment in Hong Kong Criminal procedure Jury system Law enforcement in Hong Kong Human rights LGBT rights in Hong Kong Internet censorship in Hong Kong Executive Chief Executive: John Lee Office of the Chief Executive Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR Principal officials Chief Secretary: Eric Chan Financial Secretary: Paul Chan Secretary for Justice: Paul Lam Executive Council Convenor: Regina Ip Government Secretariat and Government agencies Civil Service Bureau Joint Secretariat for the Advisory Bodies on Civil Service and Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau Registration and Electoral Office Offices in the Mainland and Taiwan Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau Leisure and Cultural Services Department Tourism Commission Education Bureau University Grants Committee Secretariat Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency Environment and Ecology Bureau Environmental Protection Department Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Hong Kong Observatory Government Laboratory Health Bureau Department of Health Home and Youth Affairs Bureau Home Affairs Department Information Services Department Labour and Welfare Bureau Social Welfare Department Security Bureau Hong Kong Police Force Hong Kong Fire Services Department Correctional Services Department Customs and Excise Department Immigration Department Government Flying Service Civil Aid Service Auxiliary Medical Service Transport and Logistics Bureau Transport Department Civil Aviation Department Highways Department Marine Department Housing Bureau Housing Department Commerce and Economic Development Bureau Intellectual Property Department Invest Hong Kong Office of the Communications Authority Post Office Trade and Industry Department Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (Overseas) Radio Television Hong Kong Development Bureau Architectural Services Department Buildings Department Civil Engineering and Development Department Drainage Services Department Electrical and Mechanical Services Department Lands Department Lands Administration Office Land Registry Planning Department Water Supplies Department Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau Census and Statistics Department Companies Registry Government Logistics Department Government Property Agency Inland Revenue Department Official Receiver's Office Rating and Valuation Department Treasury Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau Efficiency Office Office of the Government Chief Information Officer Innovation and Technology Commission Hong Kong Civil Service Administrative Officer Political Appointments System Legislature Legislative Council President: Starry Lee List of Members of the Legislative Council Political camps: Pro-Beijing camp Pro-democracy camp Localist camp Judiciary Court of Final Appeal Chief Justice: Andrew Cheung High Court Chief Judge: Jeremy Poon Court of Appeal Court of First Instance District Court Chief District Judge: Justin Ko Magistrates' Court Chief Magistrate: So Wai-tak Special courts and tribunals: Coroner’s Court Labour Tribunal Lands Tribunal Market Misconduct Tribunal Obscene Articles Tribunal Small Claims Tribunal Districts District Officers District Councils Central and Western Eastern Islands Kowloon City Kwai Tsing Kwun Tong North Sai Kung Sha Tin Sham Shui Po Southern Tai Po Tsuen Wan Tuen Mun Wan Chai Wong Tai Sin Yau Tsim Mong Yuen Long Area committees Elections Democracy Electoral Affairs Commission Registration and Electoral Office Chief Executive Elections Election Committee Legislative elections Geographical Constituencies Functional Constituencies Election Committee Constituency District council elections List of constituencies of Hong Kong Political parties Universal suffrage Foreign relations Documents Hong Kong identity card HKSAR Passport Consular missions in Hong Kong Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Hong Kong–United Kingdom relations Hong Kong–United States relations Hong Kong–Philippines relations Hong Kong–Singapore relations Hong Kong–mainland China relations Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office Hong Kong Liaison Office Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement Hong Kong–Taiwan relations Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office Hong Kong–Taiwan Economic and Cultural Co-operation and Promotion Council Related topics Culture Economy Education Geography History Hong Kong portal v t e

The **Neo Democrats** was a [pro-democracy](/source/Pro-democracy_camp_(Hong_Kong)), [localist](/source/Localism_in_Hong_Kong) political group in Hong Kong composed mainly of former and disenchanted members of the [Democratic Party](/source/Democratic_Party_(Hong_Kong)) [New Territories East](/source/New_Territories_East_(constituency)) branch after the [2012 constitutional reform proposals](/source/2010_Hong_Kong_electoral_reform). It had held one seat in the Legislative Council until [Gary Fan](/source/Gary_Fan) lost his re-election in the [2016 Legislative Council election](/source/2016_Hong_Kong_legislative_election).[1] Fan won the seat back in the [2018 by-election](/source/2018_New_Territories_East_by-election), but lost his seat after a court declared that he was not duly elected.[2] It held 8 seats in the [District Councils](/source/District_Councils_of_Hong_Kong) before its dissolution on 26 June 2021.[3]

## Formation

The Neo Democrats identified themselves initially as a grouping within the Democratic Party, opposed to its rejection of the [Five Constituencies Referendum](/source/Five_Constituencies_Referendum) and concessions towards [Beijing](/source/Government_of_the_People's_Republic_of_China) that the party was offering in the run-up to the LegCo vote on the [Hong Kong government's proposals for democratic reform](/source/Consultation_Document_on_the_Methods_for_Selecting_the_Chief_Executive_and_for_Forming_the_LegCo_in_2012). It said it aimed to repair the damaged relationship between the Democratic Party and its pan-democratic allies.[4]

As the Neo Democrats styled themselves a continuation of the [United Democrats of Hong Kong](/source/United_Democrats_of_Hong_Kong), they chose to found the group on an anniversary of both the dissolution of UDHK and the foundation of the Democratic Party.

Then on 19 December 2010, thirty members including seven district councillors in the [New Territories East](/source/New_Territories_East_(constituency)) resigned from the Democratic Party to formally create the new group. The departees included former party vice-chairman [Chan King-ming](/source/Chan_King-ming) and at least five other founding members, together representing around ten per cent of the Democratic Party's district councillors and just under five per cent of its membership.[1]

## Organisation and membership

Members of the group include [Gary Fan](/source/Gary_Fan), Leung Li and Cheung Kwok-keung,[5] and former Democratic Party vice-chairman [Chan King-ming](/source/Chan_King-ming).

The Neo Democrats' leadership comprises four convenors who serve six-month terms. Convenors currently include Gary Fan.[6]

## Immigration and localism

The Neo Democrats represented by [Gary Fan](/source/Gary_Fan) have called for the government to take back the approval rights on one-way permits from Chinese authorities and to reduce the quota of such permits for applicants not under the family reunion category.[7] Fan also refers to immigrants from mainland China and the quota of 150 daily permits as "the root of the housing problem".[8][*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

In September 2013, Gary Fan co-sponsored a controversial ad which claimed that cutting people from the source of immigration would help the people of Hong Kong to get to the bottom of the housing problem, while rejecting claims of bias or discrimination against mainlanders,[9] despite condemnation from the [Equal Opportunities Commission](/source/Equal_Opportunities_Commission_(Hong_Kong)).[10] Fan later introduced a motion on adhering to the need to "put Hong Kong people first" in formulating policies, but the motion was ultimately defeated.[11] Fan's motion was rejected by both camps of pro-Beijing and pan-democrats.

## Electoral politics

In the [2015 District Council election](/source/2015_Hong_Kong_local_elections), Neo Democrats became the best performers when 15 out of their 16 candidates fielded won, the total number of seats having increased from 7 to 15 since the previous election.[12] They became one of the most successful groups within the pan-democrats camp.

[Frankie Lam](/source/Frankie_Lam) returned to Neo Democrat in April 2016. He is a [Sai Kung District Council](/source/Sai_Kung_District_Council) member and was a Neo Democrat member in 2010, before the group formally split from the Democratic Party. Lam decided to remain in the Democratic Party until 2016, due to Neo Democrat is the largest pan-democrat party in Sai Kung District Council.

In the [2016 Legislative Council election](/source/2016_Hong_Kong_legislative_election), the Neo Democrats initially planned to field candidates in [Kowloon East](/source/Kowloon_East_(constituency)), [New Territories West](/source/New_Territories_West_(constituency)), [District Council (Second)](/source/District_Council_(Second)), as well as seek for re-election in its incumbent New Territories East seat. It later decided to field two lists in New Territories East and District Council (Second) "super seat" despite the group's breakaway from the Democratic Party due to its opposition to the creation of the five "super seats" in 2010. Kwan Wing-yip, Neo Democrats' District Council (Second) candidate, refused to join the pan-democracy camp's coordination plan initiated by [Benny Tai](/source/Benny_Tai) to avoid splitting the pro-democracy votes, abandoned his campaign one day before the election due to the pressure to help the pan-democracy camp to win three seats. As a result, Kwan's ticket won only 1.24 per cent of the vote share and its sole legislator Gary Fan lost his re-election in New Territories East by winning 5.44 per cent of the vote share. Three [Sha Tin District Councillors](/source/Sha_Tin_District_Council), Billy Chan Shiu-yeung, Chiu Chu-pong and Yau Man-chun, defected to former legislator [Andrew Cheng](/source/Andrew_Cheng) during the election were expelled from the party on 6 September.[13]

Fan returned to the Legislative Council in the [2018 New Territories by-election](/source/2018_New_Territories_East_by-election) following the disqualification of localist [Baggio Leung](/source/Baggio_Leung) of [Youngspiration](/source/Youngspiration) over the [Legislative Council oath-taking controversy](/source/Hong_Kong_Legislative_Council_oath-taking_controversy) in March. He was elected with more than 180,000 votes, defeating the pro-China common candidate [Tang Ka-piu](/source/Tang_Ka-piu) of the [Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions](/source/Hong_Kong_Federation_of_Trade_Unions) (FTU) and the [Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong](/source/Democratic_Alliance_for_the_Betterment_and_Progress_of_Hong_Kong) (DAB).[14] He was then removed from the Legislative Council after the Court of Final Appeal declined to hear an appeal from a lower court which held that he was not duly elected as the Returning Officer for the election disqualified another candidate who was not given an opportunity to respond.[2]

## Disbandment

The Neo Democrats announced the disbandment on 26 June 2021. The group said Hong Kong had undergone drastic changes over the past two years and the political environment now was much worse than before, and most of its district councillors agreed to dissolve the party.[3]

Former Neo Democrat members Gary Fan, Roy Tam and Ben Chung are among 47 pro-democracy figures charged with subversion for taking part in the camp's primaries for Legco elections last year. The three have been remanded in custody since late February.[3]

## Electoral performance

### Legislative council elections

Election Number of popular votes % of popular votes GC seats FC seats Total seats +/− Position 2012 28,621 1.58 1 0 1 / 70 1 10th 2016 31,595 1.46 0 0 0 / 70 – –

### District council elections

Election Number of popular votes % of popular votes Total elected seats +/− 2011 25,437 2.15 8 / 412 8 2015 42,148 2.92 15 / 431 7 2019 87,923 3.00 19 / 452 4

## See also

- [Democratic Party (Hong Kong)](/source/Democratic_Party_(Hong_Kong))

- [Pan-democracy camp](/source/Pro-democracy_camp_in_Hong_Kong)

- [Claudia Mo](/source/Claudia_Mo)

- [HK First](/source/HK_First)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Standard20Dec10_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Standard20Dec10_1-1) [Democrats lick wounds as 30 reform radicals quit](http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?sid=30685198&art_id=106201&con_type=1&pp_cat=12) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110116100413/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=12&art_id=106201&sid=30685198&con_type=1) 16 January 2011 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), The Standard, Colleen Lee, 20 December 2010

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-hongkongfp.com_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-hongkongfp.com_2-1) ["Pro-democracy lawmakers Au Nok-hin and Gary Fan lose seats as Hong Kong's top court rejects election petition appeals"](https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/12/17/breaking-pro-democracy-lawmakers-au-nok-hin-gary-fan-lose-seats-hong-kongs-top-court-rejects-election-petition-appeals/). *Hong Kong Free Press*. 17 December 2019. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20191229153331/https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/12/17/breaking-pro-democracy-lawmakers-au-nok-hin-gary-fan-lose-seats-hong-kongs-top-court-rejects-election-petition-appeals/) from the original on 29 December 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-disbandment_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-disbandment_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-disbandment_3-2) ["Neo Democrats announce their disbandment"](https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1597838-20210626.htm?). *rthk*. Retrieved 26 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Press review by Swiss Consulate General](http://www.sinoptic.ch/hongkong/archives/2010/201010.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20111003225819/http://www.sinoptic.ch/hongkong/archives/2010/201010.htm) 3 October 2011 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Oct 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2011

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Sai Kung District Council Members (2008–2011)"](http://www.districtcouncils.gov.hk/sk_d/english/member_detail.htm). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20050801091241/http://www.districtcouncils.gov.hk/sk_d/english/member_detail.htm) from the original on 1 August 2005. Retrieved 24 January 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Neo Democrats set out their store](http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/news.htm?main&20110123&56&729169) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121001161737/http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/news.htm?main&20110123&56&729169) 1 October 2012 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), RTHK, 23 January 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2011

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Lawmakers deny bias against mainlanders"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131103210024/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=4&art_id=138471&sid=40622151&con_type=1&d_str=20131015&fc=1). *The Standard*. 15 October 2013. Archived from [the original](http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=4&art_id=138471&sid=40622151&con_type=1&d_str=20131015&fc=1) on 3 November 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Lo, Alex (15 October 2013). ["Lawmakers Gary Fan and Claudia Mo take disingenuous stand on housing"](https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1331746/lawmakers-gary-fan-and-claudia-mo-take-disingenuous-stand). *South China Morning Post*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131017022953/http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1331746/lawmakers-gary-fan-and-claudia-mo-take-disingenuous-stand) from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Chong, Tanna (14 October 2013). ["Legislators defend controversial advert on mainland migrants"](https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1331352/legislators-defend-controversial-advert-mainland-migrants). *South China Morning Post*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131015203943/http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1331352/legislators-defend-controversial-advert-mainland-migrants) from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** But, Joshua (12 October 2013). ["Head of equality watchdog condemns lawmakers' ad on mainland migrants"](https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1330378/head-equality-watchdog-condemns-lawmakers-ad-mainland-migrants). *South China Morning Post*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131103193228/http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1330378/head-equality-watchdog-condemns-lawmakers-ad-mainland-migrants) from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-legco.gov.hk_11-0)** ["Legislative Council of Hong Kong"](http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr13-14/chinese/counmtg/voting/v2013103011.pdf) (PDF). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131104043154/http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr13-14/chinese/counmtg/voting/v2013103011.pdf) (PDF) from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ejinsight20151123_12-0)** ["What's the message from the district council election?"](http://www.ejinsight.com/20151123-message-from-the-district-council-election/). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20151124163243/http://www.ejinsight.com/20151123-message-from-the-district-council-election/) from the original on 24 November 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Leung, Stanley (8 September 2016). ["Defections within his party led to loss to pro-estab. candidate, says Neo Democrat Gary Fan"](https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/09/08/defections-within-party-led-loss-pro-estab-candidate-says-neo-democrat-gary-fan/). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190410030225/https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/09/08/defections-within-party-led-loss-pro-estab-candidate-says-neo-democrat-gary-fan/) from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Election Result – New Territories East"](http://www.elections.gov.hk/legco2018by/eng/rs_gc_LC5.html). *Electoral Affairs Commission*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180312022556/http://www.elections.gov.hk/legco2018by/eng/rs_gc_LC5.html) from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2018.

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.neodemocrats.hk/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Neo Democrats](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_Democrats) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_Democrats?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.