A coalition of pro-localization groups yesterday urged the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to adhere to its regulations for selecting a presidential candidate for next year’s election after President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and former premier William Lai (賴清德) said they would compete in the party’s primary.
“We are happy to see that party Chairman Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) has insisted on following existing regulations for nominating a presidential candidate and carrying out party affairs in an unbiased manner,” said the coalition, which includes the Taiwan Society, Northern Taiwan Society, Central Taiwan Society, Southern Taiwan Society, Taiwan Society Hakka, Taiwan Teachers’ Union and Taiwan Association for China Human Rights.
“We fully support the approach, because adherence to regulations and the rule of the law is the most important foundation of democracy,” it said in a statement.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
The DPP has developed a mature system for nominating a presidential candidate and built a consensus that the system should be respected, it said.
Rumors that certain candidates intended to dismantle the system have surfaced over the past week, but fortunately they were immediately rejected as untrue, the statement said.
The coalition urged political parties and the media to refrain from dividing society through sensationalism and manipulation, adding that “solidarity and trust” are essential in maintaining national stability.
The statement followed reports last week that some of Tsai’s supporters within the party were seeking ways to circumvent the regulations in case Lai won the primary.
Cho on Tuesday last week confirmed the existence of a special clause in the regulations that allows a presidential candidate who has passed the party’s primary to be replaced through a petition and a vote in a national convention.
However, “it would not be used unless absolutely necessary, and has in fact never been used,” he said.
A DPP presidential candidate who has passed the primary can lose their nomination if one-fifth of the party’s national convention representatives propose so and three-fifths of them vote in favor of the decision in a meeting attended by at least half of the representatives, according to the clause.
The party is facilitating mediation among potential candidates, which is to be finalized on Friday.
Hustings for the candidates are to take place on Saturday and Sunday, and a poll is to be conducted from Monday to Wednesday next week, before a nominee is announced on April 24.
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