The Alliance for Universal Suffrage is a coalition formed by 11 pro-democracy parties and groups in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

.

It provides a single point of contact to interface with the governments of Hong Kong

Government of Hong Kong

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, commonly the Hong Kong Government, is led by the Chief Executive as Head of the Government, who is also the head of the Hong Kong SAR...

 and China

Government of the People's Republic of China

All power within the government of the People's Republic of China is divided among three bodies: the People's Republic of China, State Council, and the People's Liberation Army . This article is concerned with the formal structure of the state, its departments and their responsibilities...

, especially to press for more democratic formulas for the Chief Executive

Chief Executive of Hong Kong

The Chief Executive of Hong Kong is the President of the Executive Council of Hong Kong and head of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The position was created to replace the Governor of Hong Kong, who was the head of the Hong Kong government during British rule...

 election in 2017 and the Legco

Legislative Council of Hong Kong

The Legislative Council is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong.-History:The Legislative Council of Hong Kong was set up in 1843 as a colonial legislature under British rule...

 election in 2020.

The grouping is seen as more 'moderate' than the League of Social Democrats

League of Social Democrats

The League of Social Democrats or LSD is a radical pro-democratic political party in Hong Kong. Its declared purpose is to "take a clear-cut stand to defend the interests of the grassroots"...

 and the Civic Party

Civic Party

Civic Party is a liberal democratic political party in Hong Kong.The Civic Party is currently the third largest political party in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, with five members securing seats in the 2008 Hong Kong Legislative Council elections...

, which have triggered Legco by-elections in May 2010, by having five of their members resign and stand for reelection in a 'de facto referendum' on democratic progress in Hong Kong.

In March 2010 the Alliance outlined its proposals for electoral reform in Hong Kong.

For 2012 it suggests expanding the number of seats in Legco by a third, to 80. Half would still be returned by functional constituencies

Functional constituency

In the political systems of Hong Kong and Macau, a functional constituency is a professional or special interest group involved in the electoral process...

 - trade-based seats with small electorates. This is not so different from the Hong Kong government proposal to increase the number of seats to 70, also with half of them for functional constituencies.

For the 2017 election, the Alliance proposes a nominating committee of 1,200 people that can put forward candidates for chief executive, with any candidates who obtain 100 nominations eligible to run for election. It wants Legco to have 100 seats by 2020, with half chosen by proportional representation by all the city's voters.

Other specific requests made to Beijing include:

• That a candidate for chief executive in 2012 would not need more nominations than in at the 2008 election;
• That Legco's functional constituencies would be scrapped by 2020; and
• That elections in 2012 and 2016 would be increasingly democratic.

The Convenor of the Alliance is Fung Wai-wah.

Membership of the Alliance for Universal Suffrage

Members of the Alliance include:

• Democratic Party (Hong Kong)
• SynergyNet