{{Short description|District council in Hong Kong}} {{Use Hong Kong English|date=December 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}} {{Infobox legislature | name = Southern District Council | native_name = {{noitalics|{{nobold|南區區議會}}}} | transcription_name = | legislature = | coa_pic = Southern District Council.svg | coa_res = 140px | coa-pic = | coa-res = | house_type = Hong Kong District Council | body = Southern District, Hong Kong | foundation = {{Start date|1981|12|4|df=y}} <small>(District Board)</small><br />{{Start date|1997|7|1|df=y}} <small>(Provisional)</small><br />{{Start date|2000|1|1|df=y}} <small>(District Council)</small> | houses = | leader1_type = Chair | leader1 = Francis Cheng Kong-chung |party1=[[Independent (politician)|Independent]]| election1 = | leader2_type = Vice-Chair | leader2 = | party2 = | election2 = | leader3_type = | leader3 = | party3 = | election3 = | members = '''20 councillors'''<br />consisting of<br />4 elected members<br />8 district committee members<br />8 appointed members | house1 = | house2 = | structure1 =File:Southern District Council 2023.svg | structure1_res =250px | structure2 = | structure2_res = | political_groups1 = | political_groups2 = |seats1_title=[[Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong|DAB]]|seats2_title=[[Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions|FTU]]| seats3_title = [[New People's Party (Hong Kong)|NPP]] |seats1={{Composition bar|7|20|hex={{party color|Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong}}}}|seats2={{Composition bar|2|20|hex={{party color|HKFTU}}}}| seats3 = {{Composition bar|2|20|hex={{party color|New People's Party (Hong Kong)}}}} | seats4_title = [[Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong|BPA]] | seats4 = {{Composition bar|2|20|hex={{party color|BPAHK}}}} | seats5_title = [[Liberal Party (Hong Kong)|Liberal]] |seats6_title=[[Independent (politician)|Independent]]| seats5 = {{Composition bar|1|20|hex={{party color|LPHK}}}} |seats6={{Composition bar|6|20|hex={{party color|Independent politician}}}}| committees1 = | committees2 = | joint_committees = | voting_system1 = [[Plurality voting system|First past the post]] | voting_system2 = | last_election1 = [[2023 Hong Kong local elections|10 December 2023]] | last_election2 = | session_room = File:Ocean Court (sky blue version).jpg | session_res = | meeting_place = 1/F., [[Public housing estates in Pok Fu Lam, Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau#Ocean Court|Ocean Court]], 3 Aberdeen Praya Road, [[Aberdeen, Hong Kong|Aberdeen]], [[Hong Kong]] | website = {{url|http://www.districtcouncils.gov.hk/south/}} | footnotes = }} {{Chinese | t = 南區區議會 | y = Nàahm kēui kēui yih wuih | j = Naam4 koei1 keoi1 ji6 wui6 }}

The '''Southern District Council''' (noted as '''South''') is the [[district council of Hong Kong|district council]] for the [[Southern District, Hong Kong|Southern District]] in [[Hong Kong]]. It is one of 18 such councils. The Southern District Council currently consists of 20 members, of which the district is divided into two constituencies, electing a total of 4 members, 8 district committee members, and 8 appointed members. The last election was held on [[2019 Hong Kong local elections|24 November 2019]].

==History== The Southern District Council was established on 4 December 1981 under the name of the Southern District Board as the result of the colonial [[Governor of Hong Kong|Governor]] [[Murray MacLehose]]'s District Administration Scheme reform. The District Board was partly elected with the ''ex-officio'' [[Urban Council]] members, as well as members appointed by the Governor until 1994 when last Governor [[Chris Patten]] refrained from appointing any member.

The Southern District Board became Southern Provisional District Board after the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) was established in 1997 with the appointment system being reintroduced by [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong|Chief Executive]] [[Tung Chee-hwa]]. The Southern District Council was established on 1 January 2000 after the [[1999 Hong Kong local elections|first District Council election]] in 1999. The council has become fully elected when the appointed seats were abolished in 2011 after the [[2010 Hong Kong electoral reform|modified constitutional reform proposal]] was passed by the [[Legislative Council of Hong Kong|Legislative Council]] in 2010.

The Southern District Council has been dominated by the conservative independents. It was once the stronghold of the traditional political group [[Hong Kong Civic Association]] in the 1980s, in which they received a great victory in the [[1985 Hong Kong local elections|1985 election]] and elected its member Lam Kwok-kwong as the board chairman.<ref>{{cite book|title=百姓, Issues 111-122|publisher=百姓半月刊編輯委員會|year=1986|page=55}}</ref> The Hong Kong Civic Association allied with the conservative [[Liberal Democratic Federation of Hong Kong]] (LDF) in the [[1991 Hong Kong local elections|1991 election]], while the liberal [[United Democrats of Hong Kong]] (UDHK) also established its presence in the district concentrated in [[Wah Fu Estate]], led by [[Huang Chen-ya]] who was later elected to the Legislative Council in the same year.

The Southern District Council has been controlled by the pro-Beijing camp since 1997, even though the [[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|Democratic Party]] maintained their presence in [[Wah Fu Estate|Wah Fu]] and some other constituencies. It also bred its young party members [[Lo Kin-hei]] and [[Au Nok-hin]] who both took the [[Lei Tung Estate|Lei Tung]] constituencies away from long-held conservative independent councillors in the [[2011 Hong Kong local elections|2011 election]]. In the [[2019 Hong Kong local elections|2019 elections]], the pro-democrats achieved the majority in the council in a historic landslide victory brought by the [[2019–20 Hong Kong protests|pro-democracy protests]]. Kelvin Lam Ho-por, a substitute for [[Joshua Wong]] who was disqualified from running, defeated [[Judy Chan Ka-pui]] of the [[New People's Party (Hong Kong)|New People's Party]] in [[South Horizons West (constituency)|South Horizons West]].

==Political control== Since 1982 political control of the council has been held by the following parties: {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" ! Camp in control !! Largest party !! Years !! Composition |- ! style="background-color: #DDDDDD" | No Overall Control || Civic Association || 1982 - 1985 || |- ! style="background-color: LightBlue" | Pro-government || Civic Association || 1985 - 1988 | {{Composition_bar/advanced |divisionname = |boxwidth = 100 |total = 19 |party1 = 2 |partycolor1 = Green |party2 = 9 |partycolor2 = Blue |party3 = 8 |partycolor3 = MidnightBlue }} |- ! style="background-color: LightBlue" | Pro-government || Civic Association || 1988 - 1991 | {{Composition_bar/advanced |divisionname = |boxwidth = 100 |total = 21 |party1 = 2 |partycolor1 = Green |party2 = 11 |partycolor2 = Blue |party3 = 8 |partycolor3 = MidnightBlue }} |- ! style="background-color: LightBlue" | Pro-government || Civic Association || 1991 - 1994 | {{Composition_bar/advanced |divisionname = |boxwidth = 100 |total = 17 |party1 = 3 |partycolor1 = Green |party2 = 9 |partycolor2 = Blue |party3 = 5 |partycolor3 = MidnightBlue }} |- ! style="background-color: Pink" | Pro-Beijing || Democratic || 1994 - 1997 | {{Composition_bar/advanced |divisionname = |boxwidth = 100 |total = 16 |party1 = 4 |partycolor1 = Green |party2 = 12 |partycolor2 = Red }} |- ! style="background-color: Pink" | Pro-Beijing || Democratic || 1997 - 1999 | {{Composition_bar/advanced |divisionname = |boxwidth = 100 |total = 20 |party1 = 4 |partycolor1 = Green |party2 = 12 |partycolor2 = Red |party3 = 4 |partycolor3 = FireBrick }} |- ! style="background-color: Pink" | Pro-Beijing || Democratic || 2000 - 2003 | {{Composition_bar/advanced |divisionname = |boxwidth = 100 |total = 21 |party1 = 2 |partycolor1 = Green |party2 = 15 |partycolor2 = Red |party3 = 4 |partycolor3 = FireBrick }} |- ! style="background-color: Pink" | Pro-Beijing || Democratic || 2004 - 2007 | {{Composition_bar/advanced |divisionname = |boxwidth = 100 |total = 21 |party1 = 2 |partycolor1 = Green |party2 = 15 |partycolor2 = Red |party3 = 4 |partycolor3 = FireBrick }} |- ! style="background-color: Pink" | Pro-Beijing || Democratic || 2008 - 2011 | {{Composition_bar/advanced |divisionname = |boxwidth = 100 |total = 21 |party1 = 4 |partycolor1 = Green |party2 = 13 |partycolor2 = Red |party3 = 4 |partycolor3 = FireBrick }} |- ! style="background-color: Pink" | Pro-Beijing || Democratic || 2012 - 2015 | {{Composition_bar/advanced |divisionname = |boxwidth = 100 |total = 20 |party1 = 6 |partycolor1 = Green |party2 = 11 |partycolor2 = Red |party3 = 3 |partycolor3 = FireBrick }} |- ! style="background-color: Pink" | Pro-Beijing || Democratic || 2016 - 2019 | {{Composition_bar/advanced |divisionname = |boxwidth = 100 |total = 17 |party1 = 5 |partycolor1 = Green |party2 = 12 |partycolor2 = Red }} |- ! style="background-color: Lightgreen" | Pro-democracy → Pro-Beijing || Democratic → Liberal || 2020 - 2023 | {{Composition_bar/advanced |divisionname = |boxwidth = 100 |total = 17 |party1 = 15 |partycolor1 = Green |party2 = 2 |partycolor2 = Red }} |- |- ! style="background-color: Pink" | Pro-Beijing || DAB || 2024 - 2027 |{{Composition_bar/advanced |divisionname = |boxwidth = 100 |total = 20 |party1 = 0 |partycolor1 = Green |party2 = 20 |partycolor2 = Red }} |}

==Political makeup== [[File:Current Southern District Councilor.svg|500px|right]] [[District Councils of Hong Kong#Elections|Elections]] are held every four years.

{| class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ! rowspan="2" | Political party ! colspan="7" | Council members ! colspan="12" rowspan="2" | Current<br>members |- ! [[1994 Southern District Board election|1994]] ! [[1999 Southern District Council election|1999]] ! [[2003 Southern District Council election|2003]] ! [[2007 Southern District Council election|2007]] ! [[2011 Southern District Council election|2011]] ! [[2015 Southern District Council election|2015]] ! [[2019 Southern District Council election|2019]] |- | bgcolor={{party color|Independent (politician)}} | &nbsp; | [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] | style="text-align: right" | ''10'' | style="text-align: right" | ''11'' | style="text-align: right" | ''10'' | style="text-align: right" | ''11'' | style="text-align: right" | ''8'' | style="text-align: right" | ''9'' | style="text-align: right" | '''8''' | {{Infobox political party/seats|7|17|hex={{party color|Independent (politician)}}}} |- | bgcolor={{party color|Democratic Party (Hong Kong)}} | &nbsp; | [[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|Democratic]] | style="text-align: right" | ''4'' | style="text-align: right" | ''2'' | style="text-align: right" | ''2'' | style="text-align: right" | ''3'' | style="text-align: right" | ''5'' | style="text-align: right" | ''4'' | style="text-align: right" | '''7''' | {{Infobox political party/seats|7|17|hex={{party color|DPHK}}}} |- | bgcolor={{party color|Civic Party}} | &nbsp; | [[Civic Party|Civic]] | style="text-align: right" | ''-'' | style="text-align: right" | ''-'' | style="text-align: right" | ''-'' | style="text-align: right" | ''0'' | style="text-align: right" | ''1'' | style="text-align: right" | ''0'' | style="text-align: right" | '''1''' | {{Infobox political party/seats|1|17|hex={{party color|Civic Party}}}} |- | bgcolor={{party color|Liberal Party (Hong Kong)}} | &nbsp; | [[Liberal Party (Hong Kong)|Liberal]] | style="text-align: right" | ''2'' | style="text-align: right" | ''2'' | style="text-align: right" | ''2'' | style="text-align: right" | ''1'' | style="text-align: right" | ''1'' | style="text-align: right" | ''1'' | style="text-align: right" | '''1''' | {{Infobox political party/seats|1|17|hex={{party color|LPHK}}}} |- |}

==District result maps== <gallery> File:1994DBelectionmapd.svg|'''1994''' File:1999DCelectionmapd.svg|'''1999''' File:2003DCelectionmapd.svg|'''2003''' File:2007DCelectionmapd.svg|'''2007''' File:2011DCelectionmapd.svg|'''2011''' File:Southern District Council 2015.svg|'''2015''' File:Southern District Council (2019).svg|'''2019''' </gallery>

==Members represented== {{#section-h:7th District Councils of Hong Kong|Southern}}

==Leadership== ===Chairs=== Since 1985, the chairman is elected by all the members of the board: {| class="wikitable" |- !colspan=2| Chairman !! Years !! Political Affiliation |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Nonpartisan}}"| || [[Kwong Ki-chi]] || 1981–1984 || ''District Officer'' |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Nonpartisan}}"| || Eddy Chan Yuk-tak || 1984–1985 || ''District Officer'' |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Hong Kong Civic Association}}"| || Lam Kwok-kwong || 1985–1988 || [[Hong Kong Civic Association|Civic Association]] |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}}"| || Hui Yung-chung || 1988–1994 || [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}}"| || Ko Tam-kan || 1994–1997 || [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}}"| || Ma Yuet-har || 1997–1999 || [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}}"| || [[Joseph Chan Yuek-sut]] || 2000–2003 || [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}}"| || Ma Yuet-har || 2004–2011 || [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}}"| || Chu Ching-hong || 2012–2019|| [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|DPHK}}"| || [[Lo Kin-hei]] || 2020–2021|| [[DPHK|Democratic]] |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Nonpartisan}}"| || Francis Cheng Kwok-chung || 2024–present || ''District Officer'' |- |}

===Vice Chairs=== {| class="wikitable" |- !colspan=2| Vice Chairman !! Years !! Political Affiliation |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}}"| || Wong King-keung || 2000–2003 || [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}}"| || Chu Ching-hong || 2004–2011 || [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}}"| || Chan Fu-ming || 2012–2019 || [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] |- |style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}}"| || [[Paulus Johannes Zimmerman]] || 2020–2023 || [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] |- |}

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}{{Hong Kong topic |suffix=Council|title=[[District Councils of Hong Kong]]}} {{Southern District Council elections}} {{coord|22.2474|114.1590|display=title}}

[[Category:Southern District Council| ]] [[Category:Districts of Hong Kong]] [[Category:Southern District, Hong Kong]] [[Category:District councils of Hong Kong]]