HONG KONG (AP) — The pro-democracy opposition appears to have swept to victory in Hong Kong elections, as a record turnout dealt a clear rebuke to city leader Carrie Lam and her handling of violent protests that have divided the Chinese territory.

Votes were still being counted Monday morning, but Hong Kong media tallied that the pro-democracy camp had easily won a majority in the vote for 452 district council seats.

The result will likely force the central government in Beijing to rethink how to handle the unrest, which is now in its sixth month.

The district councils have little power, but the vote became a referendum on the protests. The record 71 percent turnout for a Hong Kong election was slowing down the vote counting.