HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong lawmakers on Wednesday voted down a bill that would have granted recognition to same-sex partnerships in the Chinese city, despite the rights offered being limited, in a major setback to the LGBTQ+ movement.

The Registration of Same-Sex Partnerships Bill, unveiled in July, stemmed from one of the legal victories that pushed the government to offer more equal rights to gays and lesbians. However, the bill met fierce opposition from lawmakers, even though it followed the top court’s 2023 ruling that the government should provide a framework for recognizing such relationships.

The staunch opposition from lawmakers was a rare sight since the government overhauled its electoral rules that effectively filled the legislature with Beijing loyalists. It was the first go

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