Carrie Lam left like a worm in a tequila bottle after 'enemies of the people' fight back with democracy

Hong Kong’s election means Carrie Lam couldn’t have been more wrong when she dubbed protesters “enemies of the people.”

The people have just contradicted her in the most emphatic way possible; by handing the protest movement a landslide victory in Hong Kong’s largest democratic exercise ever.

The result confirms that the problem in Hong Kong is not a security issue – as Lam has also claimed – but a political one.

The first riot-free weekend in Hong Kong since mid-August saw nearly half the population turn out to vote in local council elections that are normally ignored.

Almost 90% of seats have gone to pro-democracy candidates.

The outcome is a stunning rebuke of Carrie Lam, who probably has no idea what to do next.Her response will determine where Hong Kong goes from here.

My guess is that there will be no meaningful concessions from Lam’s administration.

Beijing will probably leave her in place to stew.

For her masters she has become the equivalent of a worm in the bottom of a tequila bottle – useful for soaking up all the bad stuff.

If protesters feel forced to resume their confrontational demonstrations they will do so emboldened by this election result.

Most observers are gloomy about Hong Kong’s prospects because ideologies are at odds.

In short, the protesters feel they can’t give up while Beijing feels it can’t give in.