Civic Party
Encyclopedia
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
. The leader is Alan Leong
and the chairman is Kenneth Chan
.
, student leaders and pro-democracy advocates, primarily from the legal profession
and the academic field
. Kuan Hsin-chi
became the first chairman and Audrey Eu Yuet-mee
the first leader of the party. At the time of formation, the party had six members (Dr Fernando Cheung Chiu Hung
, Audrey Eu, Alan Leong Kah Kit, Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee
, Mandy Tam Heung-man
and Ronny Tong Ka Wah
) in the Legislative Council, making it the fourth largest party.
. He eventually lost by 123 to 649 votes to favourite Sir Donald Tsang in the election
.
and Audrey Eu secured seats on Hong Kong Island
, Alan Leong in Kowloon
East, and Ronny Tong in New Territories
East; Margaret Ng was re-elected as the Legal
functional constituency representative.
During the election campaign
, poll numbers
consistently showed a high level of support for the party in several geographical constituencies. However, with the exception of the Hong Kong Island ticket, the party's results failed to match pre-election predictions. Ronny Tong only took the sixth out of seven seats in his constituency, Alan Leong the final seat, while Claudia Mo Man-ching
and Fernando Cheung lost in their respective constituencies. The underperformance was blamed on the low turnout and the party's lack of district work.
report for the Hong Kong Section of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge
and another Vallejos v. Commissioner of Registration
court case in 2011 had raised criticisms against Civic Party. Alan Leong admitted in October 2011 that "public fury was whipped up against Civic Party".
On 9 October, 2011, about 10,000 people joined in a march protesting against the Civic Party for allegedly supporting the Filipino maids to gain permanent residency status in Hong Kong.
branch known as the Young Civics.
The admittance of any new member must be backed by two existing members. In addition, a prospective member must complete local branch work for one year before being inducted as an ordinary member.
built upon the rule of law
, protection of individual rights
, and universal suffrage
.
During the 2008 Legislative Council election campaign, candidates from the party also called for the introduction of a statutory
minimum wage
and a competition law
.
Liberal democracy
Liberal democracy, also known as constitutional democracy, is a common form of representative democracy. According to the principles of liberal democracy, elections should be free and fair, and the political process should be competitive...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
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...
.
The Civic Party is currently the third largest political party in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
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...
, with five members securing seats in the 2008 Hong Kong Legislative Council elections
Hong Kong legislative election, 2008
The 2008 Hong Kong legislative election was held on 7 September 2008 for the 4th Legislative Council since the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. There are 60 seats in the 4th Council, with 30 Members elected by geographical constituencies through direct elections, and...
. The leader is Alan Leong
Alan Leong
Kah Kit Alan Leong , SC is a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, representing the Kowloon East geographical constituency and leader of the Civic Party. He is also vice-chairperson of the Independent Police Complaints Council.-Early career:...
and the chairman is Kenneth Chan
Kenneth Chan (politician)
Dr Kenneth Chan Ka Lok , born 1968, is the current chairman of the Hong Kong Civic Party, having taken office in January 2011. He is an Associate Professor in political science at Hong Kong Baptist University...
.
Founding
The Civic Party was officially founded on 19 March 2006 by members of the Article 45 Concern GroupArticle 45 Concern Group
Basic Law Article 45 Concern Group is a pro-democracy political group in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. It was established on 14 November 2003 by legal practitioners and academics...
, student leaders and pro-democracy advocates, primarily from the legal profession
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and the academic field
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
. Kuan Hsin-chi
Kuan Hsin-chi
Kuan Hsin Chi is chairman of the Department of Government and Public Administration at the Chinese University of Hong Kong . He retired in 2006 but continues to teach political science part-time...
became the first chairman and Audrey Eu Yuet-mee
Audrey Eu
Yuet Mee Audrey Eu , LLB, LLM, SC, JP is a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and the former leader of the Civic Party.-Education and legal career:...
the first leader of the party. At the time of formation, the party had six members (Dr Fernando Cheung Chiu Hung
Fernando Cheung
Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung is a Hong Kong politician, the vice-chairman of the Civic Party, he is a former member of the Legislative Council.Cheung worked in the United States from 1988, and became a naturalized United States citizen. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in...
, Audrey Eu, Alan Leong Kah Kit, Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee
Margaret Ng
Dr Margaret Ng Ngoi Yee is a politician, barrister, writer and columnist in Hong Kong. She has been a member of Legislative Council of Hong Kong since 1995....
, Mandy Tam Heung-man
Mandy Tam
Mandy Tam Heung-man is a former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. She is a tax advisor and also a newspaper columnist for the Hong Kong Economic Journal and other publications....
and Ronny Tong Ka Wah
Ronny Tong
Ronny Tong Ka-wah QC, SC is a Senior Counsel and current member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong , representing the New Territories East constituency. He is also a member of the Civic Party Executive Committee....
) in the Legislative Council, making it the fourth largest party.
Chief Executive Election 2007
In February 2007, Civic Party legislator Alan Leong secured 132 nominations and became the first pro-democracy Chief Executive candidate in the history of Hong KongHong 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...
. He eventually lost by 123 to 649 votes to favourite Sir Donald Tsang in the election
Hong Kong Chief Executive election, 2007
An election was held on 25 March 2007 to select the Chief Executive of Hong Kong at AsiaWorld-Expo. The third Chief Executive term began on 1 July 2007...
.
Legislative Council Election 2008
The Civic Party won five seats in the 2008 Legislative Council election. In the geographical constituencies, Tanya ChanTanya Chan
Tanya Chan Suk-chong is a Legislative Councillor and is a member of the Central and Western District Council of Hong Kong...
and Audrey Eu secured seats on Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
, Alan Leong in Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
East, and Ronny Tong in New Territories
New Territories
New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory...
East; Margaret Ng was re-elected as the Legal
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
functional constituency representative.
During the election campaign
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
, poll numbers
Opinion poll
An opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence...
consistently showed a high level of support for the party in several geographical constituencies. However, with the exception of the Hong Kong Island ticket, the party's results failed to match pre-election predictions. Ronny Tong only took the sixth out of seven seats in his constituency, Alan Leong the final seat, while Claudia Mo Man-ching
Claudia Mo
Claudia Mo Man Ching is a founding member of Civic Party of Hong Kong. She graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada with a Bachelor degree in journalism with English studies. She was a journalist and worked in Agence France-Presse, Hong Kong Standard and TVB...
and Fernando Cheung lost in their respective constituencies. The underperformance was blamed on the low turnout and the party's lack of district work.
2011 Controversies
The controversies surrounding the judicial review court case on the environmental impact assessmentEnvironmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
report for the Hong Kong Section of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge
Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge
The in-construction Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is a series of bridges and tunnels that will connect the west side of Hong Kong to Macau and the Guangdong province city of Zhuhai, which are situated on the west side of the Pearl River Delta. The proposed link is expected to cost US$10.7 billion....
and another Vallejos v. Commissioner of Registration
Vallejos v. Commissioner of Registration
Vallejos v. Commissioner of Registration is a 2011 court case against the government of Hong Kong by a foreign domestic helper seeking permanent residence and the right of abode in Hong Kong. Because of its subject matter it was commonly referred to in the media as the "maids' residency case"...
court case in 2011 had raised criticisms against Civic Party. Alan Leong admitted in October 2011 that "public fury was whipped up against Civic Party".
On 9 October, 2011, about 10,000 people joined in a march protesting against the Civic Party for allegedly supporting the Filipino maids to gain permanent residency status in Hong Kong.
Structure
The party is managed by the nineteen-member Executive Committee, headed by the Chairman and Leader. It has five Policy Branches, five District Branches, and a youthYouth
Youth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
branch known as the Young Civics.
The admittance of any new member must be backed by two existing members. In addition, a prospective member must complete local branch work for one year before being inducted as an ordinary member.
Party beliefs
The party is considered part of the pan-democratic camp in the Legislative Council. It aims to set up a societySociety
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
built upon the rule of law
Rule of law
The rule of law, sometimes called supremacy of law, is a legal maxim that says that governmental decisions should be made by applying known principles or laws with minimal discretion in their application...
, protection of individual rights
Individual rights
Group rights are rights held by a group rather than by its members separately, or rights held only by individuals within the specified group; in contrast, individual rights are rights held by individual people regardless of their group membership or lack thereof...
, and universal suffrage
Universal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
.
During the 2008 Legislative Council election campaign, candidates from the party also called for the introduction of a statutory
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
and a competition law
Competition law
Competition law, known in the United States as antitrust law, is law that promotes or maintains market competition by regulating anti-competitive conduct by companies....
.
Incumbent Leading figures
- Chairman: Kenneth ChanKenneth ChanKenneth Chan Kai-tai is a Hong Kong actor and television host for the Hong Kong-based Cable TV Hong Kong channel ....
- Leader: Alan LeongAlan LeongKah Kit Alan Leong , SC is a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, representing the Kowloon East geographical constituency and leader of the Civic Party. He is also vice-chairperson of the Independent Police Complaints Council.-Early career:...
(Chairman of Kowloon East Branch, and 2008 Legislative Councillor for Kowloon East) - External Vice-Chairman: Albert LaiAlbert LaiIr Albert Lai is the current chairman of The Professional Commons and the founding chairman of the Hong Kong People’s Council for Sustainable Development...
(Chairman of Environment and Sustainable Development Branch) - Internal Vice-Chairman: Margaret NgMargaret NgDr Margaret Ng Ngoi Yee is a politician, barrister, writer and columnist in Hong Kong. She has been a member of Legislative Council of Hong Kong since 1995....
(Chairman of ConstitutionConstitutionA constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
& GovernanceGovernmentGovernment refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
Branch, and 2008 Legislative Councillor for the Legal functional constituency) - Secretary-General: Bill Lay
- Treasurer: Tommy Wong
Ex-leading figures
- Audrey EuAudrey EuYuet Mee Audrey Eu , LLB, LLM, SC, JP is a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and the former leader of the Civic Party.-Education and legal career:...
: founding Party Leader, Chairman of Hong Kong Island Branch, and 2008 Legislative Councillor for Hong Kong Island - Dr Kuan Hsin-chiKuan Hsin-chiKuan Hsin Chi is chairman of the Department of Government and Public Administration at the Chinese University of Hong Kong . He retired in 2006 but continues to teach political science part-time...
: founding Chairman - Joseph Cheng Yu-shek: Secretary General
- Ronny TongRonny TongRonny Tong Ka-wah QC, SC is a Senior Counsel and current member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong , representing the New Territories East constituency. He is also a member of the Civic Party Executive Committee....
: Chairman of New Territories East Branch, and 2008 Legislative Councillor for New Territories East
Well-known Former members
- Dr Fernando Cheung Chiu HungFernando CheungFernando Cheung Chiu-hung is a Hong Kong politician, the vice-chairman of the Civic Party, he is a former member of the Legislative Council.Cheung worked in the United States from 1988, and became a naturalized United States citizen. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in...
: Vice-chairman, Chairman of New Territories West Branch, and former Legislative Councillor for the Social Welfare functional constituency, left Civic Party in 2010. - Mandy TamMandy TamMandy Tam Heung-man is a former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. She is a tax advisor and also a newspaper columnist for the Hong Kong Economic Journal and other publications....
: Treasurer, and former Legislative Councillor for the AccountancyAccountancyAccountancy is the process of communicating financial information about a business entity to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management; the art lies in...
functional constituency