The pro-democracy candidates won a sweeping victory and are already gearing up to battle the Government on economic issues.

It was believed that the formation of the council according to the proposal by the government of Chris Patten, then governor, favoured pro-democracy candidates.

Most of the remaining members are chosen by popular voting, in which pro-democracy candidates tend to fare better.

Liberal pro-democracy candidates won 16 of the 18 seats contested on Sunday, according to the results announced today.

Under the skewed system Beijing insists on maintaining, that entitled the pro-democracy candidates to only about 40 percent of the seats in the legislature.

On that day, pro-democracy candidates, whom Beijing had ousted from the Legislature after the handover, were swept to victory.

Leong later secured 132 nominations and became the first pro-democracy candidate to succeed in joining the Chief Executive election.

Not surprisingly, pro-democracy candidates won; but the real numbers were to be found in those who stayed away.

Mr. Cheung and other pro-democracy candidates were swept to victory.