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Su says he has no plans to run for DPP chairman

Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) dismissed media speculation yesterday that he would run in the election for party chairman in May.

Su was not the only senior party member to show a lack of interest in running for the position. Others whom media had speculated could be interested in the position but who rebuffed the rumors include Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and former DPP chairman Yu Shyi-kun.

Su told reporters outside his residence yesterday that he would not run in the race on May 25, nor would he strike alliances with any individual or faction within the party.

"The most important thing at the moment is to respond to the people's [wishes] and learn from them," he said. "We should not be concerned with fighting for positions. I don't think Taiwanese want to see that."

The party's charter stipulates that the head of state should lead the party when it is in power and that party members should directly elect the chairman when it is in the opposition.

The measure was proposed by DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) in March 2002 and approved by the party's extraordinary National Congress in April the same year.

Having difficulties finding a new chairman, Hsieh, who was party chairman at that time and ready to hand over leadership in May 2002, had made various proposals to encourage party reforms and internalization, including this measure.

After the party approved revisions to its charter, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) succeeded Hsieh as party chairman.

With the DPP loss in the presidential election on March 22, Hsieh faced a similar situation, but made a different decision. After he tendered his resignation as party chairman to bear responsibility for the electoral defeat, the party's Central Executive Committee decided on Thursday to ask Hsieh to remain.
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