DPP plans for cross-party legislative coalition failing

Despite the continued drive by President-elect Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to garner major support for his new government in the legislature, where his party is still in the minority, DPP faction leaders yesterday failed to reach a consensus on major issues such as the possibility of re-electing the legislative speaker, or forging a cross-party legislative coalition.

During a lunch meeting yesterday, Chen met party faction leaders for the second time since his march 18 election victory. The meeting had been expected to reach a conclusion on future operations at the legislature, but the issue was ultimately left to the DPP's legislative caucus.

After the meeting, party insiders were pessimistic about the idea of a cross-party coalition, and told the Taipei Times that it would be difficult to forge such an alliance due to discord within the DPP as well as the political climate outside the party.

Former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德), was even said to have lost his temper during the discussion. According to insiders, Shih complained about his colleagues "humiliating" him.

Shih told reporters before the lunch that he had struggled in the DPP for a long time, and that the humiliation he was suffering in trying to convince legislative members to accept a coalition meant he would have difficulty surviving in the party.

"It was possibly the last time I will participate in a DPP affairs session," Shih said.

Shih was one of the active legislators pushing to form a cross-party coalition after the March 18 presidential election and to further promote a speaker's re-election.

Shih's efforts, however, have faced stiff opposition from his party colleagues.

The party's Justice faction leader, Shen Fu-hsiung (沈富雄), insisted that the DPP should not urge a replacement for current legislative speaker Wang chin-pyng (王金平), for fear that the political situation could descend into chaos.

Furthermore, New Tide faction leader Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁) said there was no need for cross-party connections as long as there is no so-called "coalition cabinet."

In recent days, such disagreements have been followed by direct judgments against Shih.

According to insiders, Shih told his colleagues -- including Chen and DPP chairman Lin I-hsiung (林義雄) -- that legislative reform is not only his business, but that of all party members.

Shih also told reporters after yesterday's session that he could endure fellow DPP members banding together to pursue limited resources when they did not hold the reins of government, but now that the DPP is the ruling party, it should adopt a new attitude, otherwise the party will be hurt, as will party members and the whole country.

Shih publicly appealed to his colleagues for cooperation, instead of competition and destruction within the party.

Most participants at the session, meanwhile, declined to comment on Shih's statement.

Insiders said the major faction leaders expressed differing opinions as to whether or not to forge a functional majority coalition and then change the current speaker.

However, "different opinions originated from various judgments about the political situation, not from hostile feelings toward Shih," insiders added.

DPP legislative caucus leader Cheng Pao-Ching (鄭寶清) quoted Chen and Lin as saying legislative reform should be an autonomous process, and that it is improper for the president and the party chairman to become involved in the issue.