Hong Kong - Pro-democracy candidates won 24 seats in Hong Kong's legislative council election, defying predictions they would be swept aside by China-friendly parties, results showed Monday.

The opposition candidates secured just one less seat than they did in the previous 2004 elections, maintaining their veto power on constitutional change in the 60-seat legislature.

The pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance remains the biggest party with 36 seats after Sunday's election, but key votes in the legislature require a two-thirds majority, giving the opposition veto power.

Pro-democracy candidates performed surprisingly well in the election after analysts predicted the "Olympics factor" would lead to a major shift towards China-friendly parties.

Patriotism towards China has risen markedly in the 11 years since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule and China's Olympic gold medallists visited the territory days before the election.

Turnout for Sunday's election was 10 per cent lower than in 2004 at just 45 per cent of the former British colony's 3.3 million registered voters.

The biggest loser in Sunday's election was the pro-business, government-friendly Liberal Party which saw its leader James Tien and his deputy Selina Chow both lose their seats.

Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" arrangement allowing for limited democracy and an independent judicial and political system.

Only half of the legislative council seats are directly elected. The other 30 are picked by largely pro-establishment professional interest groups. (dpa)