In 1986, together with
Lee Wing-tat, he founded the
Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood. From 1994–2002 he was a member of the
Democratic Party. In 2006 he co-founded the
League of Social Democrats but resigned in 2011 over differences with the then leadership to form
People Power with fellow legislator
Wong Yuk-man. He is active in grass roots issues and believes that the government is not genuinely committed to the electoral reform promised in the
Hong Kong Basic Law.
2010 Five Constituencies Referendum On 29 January 2010, Chan, together with four other lawmakers (two from
Civic Party, two from LSD)
Alan Leong,
Tanya Chan,
Leung Kwok-hung and
Wong Yuk-man, resigned their seats in the Legislative Council. They intended that the popular vote in the by-elections triggered by their resignations would act as a
de facto referendum on electoral reform, pressing the
PRC Government into allowing
universal suffrage in Hong Kong in compliance with Hong Kong's constitution, the
Basic Law. On 16 May 2010, he was re-elected as a lawmaker in
the by-election.
People Power In January 2011, Chan and fellow legislator
Wong Yuk-man resigned from the League of Social Democrats over differences with the leadership over what stance to take towards the
Democratic Party in the discussions over Hong Kong's political development. The move left the party and its remaining legislator,
Leung Kwok-hung ('Long Hair') in a difficult position. They also said that factional fighting within the party has become so hostile that it was beyond their ability to rectify the situation. With Wong, he went on to launch
People Power, under which name he continues to sit in Legco. In
2011 regional elections, he went against
Tuen Mun Lok tsui Constituency's candidate
Albert Ho Chun-yan, the then-chairman of Democratic Party. However, he was defeated. In
2012 legislative elections, Chan was reelected for a seventh time. He chose to make way for the youngster in the
2016 Legislative Council election, standing as a second candidate of
Wong Ho-ming of its ally
League of Social Democrats under the banner of "radical democrats". The list received 28,529 votes and failed to retain the seat. ==References==