Implications of the 2016 Legislative Council election.
A new generation of political activists, who gained international attention for leading massive pro-democracy demonstrations in 2014, have secured seats in the Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LegCo), the territory's law-making body, in the first electoral contest after the protests. Voting on September 4 for all 70 LegCo seats returned a pro-government ('establishment') majority, but older democracy activists ('pan-democrats') combined with the protest leaders ('localists' or 'radicals') have won enough seats to retain a veto over government-backed legislation.
Experienced pan-democrats will court younger activists, who successfully capitalised on the high level of anti-China sentiment.
Opposition veto power will ensure legislative gridlock on controversial issues.
Beijing will be tempted to back a challenger to Leung in 2017 as a conciliatory gesture to the opposition.
Beijing will also try to sideline independence activists through 'loyalty tests' and other means to de-legitimise the movement.
The movement demanding full autonomy for Hong Kong will grow, but remain outside the mainstream business and stability-focused electorate.
