The DPP is set to enter a new era as President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen will be sworn in with 11 newly appointed Arbitration Committee members, 11 newly elected Central Review Committee members, 35 newly elected Central Executive Committee members and 15 Central Standing Committee members during the inauguration ceremony.
The ceremony is scheduled for 5:30pm at the International Convention Center in Taipei City.
According to Michael You (游盈隆), deputy secretary-general of the DPP, Chen is scheduled to give a 20-minute speech during the ceremony and the theme of his speech will focus on party reforms and his vision for the party and the nation.
Commenting on the achievements made by outgoing chairman Frank Hsieh (
"He faced an overwhelming amount of difficulties from the opposition parties because he's the first party chairman after the peaceful transfer of power," You said. "However, he not only led the party to become the largest in the legislature but also successfully helped push for party reforms."
Speaking on behalf of the party, You said that the DPP has great expectations for the new chairman.
"The president's doubling up as the party chairman ushers in a new chapter of the party's history," he said. "I hope it'll help better integrate the opinions of the Presidential Office, the Executive Yuan and the party and I believe the president himself will manage to strike a balance between his two roles."
To drum up support for the year-end mayoral race, a pep rally will be held at 10:30am for Hsieh, who is seeking his second term as Kaohsiung mayor; and Lee Ying-yuan (李應元), who is running against the KMT's candidate, incumbent Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
The race for Kaohsiung and Taipei mayors is slated for Dec. 7.
In the afternoon, the National Congress will approve the 11 Arbitration Committee members, who are recommended by the Central Standing Committee and need to be approved by the National Congress. The National Congress will also elect 11 Central Review Committee members.
Central Review Committee members are elected from National Congress members who have served at local chapters, county or city governments, or as local representatives at provincial or city councils, judges or prosecutors, or lawyers or accountants.
The National Congress will also elect 30 new members of the Central Executive Committee.
Membership of the Central Standing Committee is 15 and that of the Central Executive Committee is 35.
Thirty of the 35 Central Executive Committee members are elected from the ranks of the National Congress. The remaining five positions are reserved for the leader of the legislative caucus and the party chairman -- who in turn must appoint the remaining three committee members.
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