By losing the backing of Mr Tien's Liberals in Hong Kong's Legislative Council, Mr Tung could no longer be sure of getting the anti-subversion law or other controversial measures through.

ECONOMIST: Heads roll, but not Tung’s (yet) | The

But they weren't excited about the prospect of voting for members of an electoral college whose only function was to choose six out of 60 members of Hong Kong's Legislative Council a couple months from now.

CNN: From Our Correspondent: Why the Confusion?

For the first time, 40 of the 70 seats on Hong Kong's governing legislative council were directly elected.

BBC: Hong Kong's democrats retain veto power in poll

First, on March 26, the Standing Committee decided on its own to intervene in the question of whether and how changes to the methods of selecting the Hong Kong Chief Executive and forming the Legislative Council could be made.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

The Legislative Council even voted in February to reduce the statutory wage, reasoning that all sectors of society should share Hong Kong's economic pinch. (The maids, led by Philippine groups, argued that their wages were already low enough.) Jennifer Chow, who sits on one of two municipal councils, recommends deeper cuts in the maids' minimum wage.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia | Hong Kong: Hard Labor