2006 Democratic Party (HK) leadership election

The Central Committee was elected by the party congress. All public office holders, including the members of the Legislative Council and District Councils, are eligible to vote in the party congress. Every 30 members can also elect a delegate who holds one vote in the congress.[1]

The Democratic Party was suffering from the intra-party factional struggles between the mainstreamers and Young Turk reformists, while it was also facing the external challenge from the newly established Civic Party from the same pan-democracy camp.[2]In March, 2006, the Mainstreamer faction alleged that some senior members were involved in spying activities of China. The "suspects" were all Young Turks Reformist members including Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the New Territories East branch Chan King-ming and District Councillor Gary Fan Kwok-wai in New Territories East.

On 27 November, the incumbent Vice-Chairman and Legislative Council member Albert Ho announced he would run for the Chairman post with a cabinet list, including Legislative Council member Sin Chung-kai and Central Committee member Tik Chi-yuen running for the two Vice-Chairman posts, Peggy Ha Ving-vung for the Secretary post and Cheung Yin-tung for the Treasurer post.[3] Supported by the reformist Young Turks faction, another incumbent Vice-Chairman Chan King-ming ran for the Chairman for the second time after his defeat by Lee Wing-tat in the last party leadership election in 2004.

The mainstreamer legislator Albert Ho defeated reformist Vice-Chairman Chan King-ming by winning 204 to 81 votes.[2] Sin Chung-kai and Tik Chi-yuen from Ho's team also elected Vice-Chairmen with 180 and 170 votes respectively, defeating Cosmas Kwong Kwok-chuen the Young Turk reformist, Andrew Fung Wai-kwong of the Meeting Point faction, and Shirley Ho Suk-ping supported by legislator and founding Chairman Martin Lee Chu-ming and legislator Andrew Cheng Kar-foo.[5] 26 of the 27 mainstreamers candidates were elected except for Chiu Chung-lam, Chairman of the Kowloon East branch. Andrew Fung was the single candidate of the Meeting Point faction who was elected to the Central Committee. The seven reformist members were all defeated.[5]

The elected members of the 7th Central Committee are listed as following:

• Chairman: Albert Ho
• Vice-Chairmen: Sin Chung-kai, Tik Chi-yuen
• Secretary: Peggy Ha
• Treasurer: Cheung Yin-tung
• Executive Committee Members:

• Central Committee Members:

The newly elected Chairman Albert Ho said his team won because the party members understood that they were in crisis and needed a strong leadership. He called for the intra-party solidarity[5] and stated his main task would be to bring different factions together within the party and prepare for the 2007 District Council elections and 2008 Legislative Council election.[2]

Although being criticised by some reformists, Ho stated that it was a free and fair election that party members must respect and accept the election results. The failed candidate Chan King-ming said the party was inclusive and open so he would continue to give advice to the leadership about reform.[2]

Political scientist Ivan Choy commented that the election results showed the loss of trust between the mainstreamers and reformists. The New Territories East branch which the reformists dominated would confront the party's central authorities. That might lead to another split if the conflicts continued and bad election results came out badly in the District Council elections next year.[5]