The DPP is likely to partner with the People First Party (PFP) to form a coalition government after the Dec. 1 elections, the party's secretary-general said yesterday.
In recent months, there has been speculation about whether the two parties may cooperate after the legislative polls.
But Wu Nai-jen's (
"The cost of cooperation between the DPP and PFP would be minimal," Wu said. "Both parties can sign an agreement beforehand to lay down do's and don'ts, with an effective term of two or two-and-half years."
The only alliance probably more unimaginable than a DPP-PFP tie-up would be a pact between the pro-Taiwan DPP and the ultra pro-unification New Party.
Indeed, given that supporters of the DPP and KMT share similar ideologies, an alliance between those two parties was considered more likely.
But Wu said yesterday that the chances of a DPP-KMT pact were growing slim, with the leadership of both parties declaring open-season on each other in the lead-up to Dec. 1.
The next best choice is the PFP, though the ideological gap between the DPP and James Soong's (宋楚瑜) party is wide, Wu said.
Wu said those ideological differences would have to be bridged before any inter-party cooperation can move forward.
But while Wu was talking up the prospects of an alliance, PFP officials were dismissing the idea of any cooperation with the DPP.
Hsieh Kung-ping (
"We would never align with a party that has problems with the nation's identity, disrespects the country's constitutional system and has ambiguous cross-strait policies," Hsieh said.
In addition, the party spokesman said the PFP didn't want to partner with a party that was attempting to "split" the country along ethnic lines.
PFP legislative whip Chou Hsi-wei (
Chou said Wu's proposal was nothing more than a campaign gimmick to smear the PFP and further divide the opposition parties.
Earlier this month, Soong had claimed that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) had offered him command over the Cabinet and military when the two met in July to discuss his role in the Economic Development Advisory Conference.
Officials from the Presidential Office denied the claims, and when the president was questioned by reporters, he said he "could not remember" if he had made any such offer to Soong.
Shortly after news of the July 17 rendezvous leaked out, there was speculation that the DPP and PFP would cooperate after the Dec. 1 elections -- with Soong serving as premier.
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