The government's controversial proposal comes after large pro-democracy protests last year, posing a significant challenge to Beijing's Communist Party rule. Analysts believe that the blueprint, up for a vote in the summer, could reignite political tensions after a period of calm. Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying warned that the city's political climate may become less flexible in the future, stating that there is currently no room for compromise and that initiating political reform will be a difficult task. Leung mentioned that if the proposal is rejected, it may take a few years before another chance arises. Outside the Legislative Council, hundreds of protesters with flags gathered, with some supporting the proposal and others advocating for democracy with yellow umbrellas as symbols. The latter group demanded genuine universal suffrage and urged Leung to resign. Democratic lawmakers, adorned with yellow crosses on their black shirts and some carrying yellow umbrellas, left the chamber following the government's presentation. Last year, tens of thousands of pro-democracy protestors occupied major roads in four districts of the city, calling for Beijing to allow a truly democratic vote and open nominations for Hong Kong's next chief executive in 2017. Despite their demands being disregarded and the police forcibly removing the protest encampments in December, the government stuck to the proposal outlined by China's parliament in August. This proposal involves the public voting on candidates pre-selected by a pro-Beijing nominating committee, a plan that democratic lawmakers have vowed to veto without concessions from the government. The opposition group has a one-third veto power, but Leung, who is supported by Beijing, is optimistic that he can convince four or five democrats to change their stance. Members of the democracy movement who initiated the "Occupy" protests last year view a vote without open nominations as a form of "fake democracy." Even though Hong Kong is part of China, it operates with a separate legal system and enjoys freedoms that are not allowed in mainland China.