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DPP chairmanship issue draws fire from factions

President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) plan to relinquish his position as chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) drew mixed responses from party members yesterday as he hinted that he preferred to have the new chairman directly elected by party members rather than handpicked by himself.

Seeking to placate the criticisms, DPP Secretary-General Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) yesterday morning held a news conference to announce that Chen's original idea was to let party members directly elect the chairman should he step down from the position.

"It's pretty clear that what Chen wants to do is to let party members directly elect the chairman," Chang said, adding that the party's reform committee will be taking care of the matter.

According to the DPP charter passed in 2002 in an attempt to step up cooperation between the Presidential Office and party headquarters, the president should serve concurrently as party chairman if the DPP is in power and the chairman should be elected by all party members if the DPP is in opposition.

The rule also provides for the appointment of up to three vice chairmen. However, the DPP has not yet appointed anyone to these positions.

According to Premier Yu Shyi-kun, Chen first thought of stepping down as party chairman in April, one month after securing his second four-year term as president.

He then instructed DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) and DPP Legislator Hung Chi-chang (洪奇昌) to map out a proposal regarding the appointment of a party chairman, should Chen relinquish his post.

According to the proposed amendment to Article 15 of the DPP charter proposed last Friday, the chairman, if also serving as president, would appoint one vice chairman among three to replace him.

While the proposal caused a public uproar and questions over whether this might lead to excessive presidential power, the party headquarters held an emergency press conference late Saturday night to clarify that the proposed amendment would allow the Central Executive Committee to elect one of the three vice chairmen as the new chairman.

Chen, however, told reporters on Sunday that his original idea had been to let party members directly elect the new chairman should he step down from the job.

Commenting on the dramatic developments, DPP Legislator Lin Yu-sheng (林育生) yesterday said that the proposed plan has delivered a deadly blow to the image of the party.

"Such a significant plan requires more time for party members to discuss the issue and consider it," he said, adding that many party members learned of Chen's idea from newspapers.

DPP Legislator Shen Fu-hsiung (沈富雄) said that Chen should continue to double up as party chairman and that it was a bad idea to let party members elect the chairman.

Shen also proposed that the Central Standing Committee, the party's highest policy-making body, should hold its regular meetings once a month rather than once a week and its function should be scaled down.

DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) said: "Although the intention to have all of the party members elect the party chairman means well, I'm afraid that it might lead to a regular clash of opinions among the Presidential Office, the Cabinet, the party headquarters and the legislative caucus," he said.
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