The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Central Executive Committee yesterday backed a proposal to nominate presidential nominees entirely via public polls.
The move, if confirmed by a meeting of the party congress on Saturday, could phase out a vote by party members, traditionally a key instrument in the process.
While not expected to benefit any particular contender, the proposal would make choosing a candidate easier and arguably less contentious.
Photo: CNA
The party is expected to reach decision on its candidate in March.
Most DPP officials rallied behind the decision, saying it was a necessary step forward in a process that has often been mired in controversy. During past nominations, contenders mobilized thousands of their supporters for the party member vote, moves that many claim divided the party and hurt its chances at the polls.
If adopted, the move also means that nominations for DPP legislators would be determined in a similar manner.
However, a decision on how legislators-at-large would be selected was postponed until next week.
The proposal, which passed after a marathon five-hour session, is believed to have rankled former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and other supporters of the traditional approach.
The current process bases 60 percent of the nomination criteria on public polls and 40 percent on a party member vote.
Lu has said the new method would undermine the importance of party supporters.
“We very much respect the party and love the party ... but there is no reason for the DPP to take away the participation of party members in the nomination phase,” she said.
A petition against the proposed changes is rapidly gaining ground and has already been signed by dozens of senior party members and DPP lawmakers, she said.
The appeal, which contains 136 signatures from party delegates, will be submitted on Monday for consideration at the party congress, she said.
Among the signatories are former DPP chairpersons Yao Chia-wen (姚嘉文) and Hsu Hsin-liang (許信良), as well as 16 lawmakers and more than 60 city councilors.
Despite the opposition, it is believed that the party congress will vote in favor of the new approach, which is reportedly backed by DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
However, Lu’s opposition will likely add pressure and deepen factional rifts in a nomination process where the DPP can ill afford problems.
DPP spokesperson Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said the committee meeting remained cordial despite the differences.
“There were some differences in opinion over the presidential and legislative nominations, but the entire meeting was relatively peaceful,” he said.
Both sides agreed that prior to the nominations, the party would first hold a series of public debates nationwide for presidential contenders to explain their platforms.
This should give party members some form of participation in the process, even if the vote is disregarded in the future, Tsai Chi-chang said.
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