Hong Kong’s democracy movement loses ground

Hong Kong pro-democracy candidates won back only two of four seats in a crucial by-election in the semiautonomous Chinese region, final results showed Monday.

The opposition wasn’t able to recapture all its territory, losing some to formidably resourced pro-beijing rivals and falling short of the number needed to veto most bills in the city’s semidemocratic Legislative Council.

The four seats were among six left empty when a group of lawmakers were expelled following a 2016 controversy over their oaths, which they used to defy China.