Following a recent overhaul of rules governing how it chooses its legislators-at-large, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday opened registration for what will likely be a fiercely competitive primary election on May 23.
The new rules seek to eradicate the influence of political families and election cheating in the nomination of legislators-at-large, who are allocated according to the percentage of votes each party receives in legislative elections.
The party previously had three categories of legislators-at-large: experts, politicians and minorities. Following the passage of the new rules, suggested by President Chen Shui-bian (
Those in the politician category will be decided by a vote of party members and a public opinion poll, each with a 50-percent weighting, while the expert group will be nominated entirely by a seven- to nine-person nomination committee, which will be appointed by the party chairman and approved by the Central Executive Committee.
The poll will stop contestants from relying on the support of party members, who may be easier to influence than the public.
DPP Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (
"The new regulations are indeed much fairer and eliminate election cheating, but they also make it more difficult to win in the primary," Gao said.
The party has decided to nominate 92 people to run for election in local constituencies and estimates that at least 78 of them will be elected. If its forecast is correct, the party will also win 19 legislator-at-large seats.
Another important change to the rules is that candidates must allow the party to examine his financial situation, criminal record and disciplinary records from the civil service.
Those who wish to run for legislator-at-large have to pay NT$300,000 for registration and NT$350,000 for the opinion poll.
Those running for a constituency seat must pay a NT$300,000 registration fee and NT$200,000 for an opinion poll.
Registration closes tomorrow.
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