People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) will likely run in the Taipei mayoral elections, party leaders said yesterday, exposing divisions within the pan-blue alliance.
"The odds of seeing [Soong] enter the race are pretty high," said PFP Legislator Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀), who also serves as the party's director of policy research.
Soong has consulted party heavyweights and officials on the matter and plans to discuss the issue with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), Chang said.
PHOTO: LO PEI-DER, TAIPEI TIMES
"KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) stance and opinion on the issue is very important," Chang said.
"The two touched on the issue when they first met and the two parties' secretary-generals are now working out the details," he added.
Ma, however, declared that his party will not make way for the PFP.
"We will have our own candidates in the Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral elections. It is impossible for the KMT to make way for the PFP since we need to respond to our party members who declare their intention to run," Ma said yesterday morning after presiding over a municipal meeting.
"Chairman Soong and I discussed the nomination mechanism for the Taipei councilor elections, not the mayoral election ? It is impossible [for the KMT to make any concessions] on the matter," Ma said.
During a year-end dinner party with the PFP Taipei city councilors late on Monday night, Soong said he has deep feelings for Taipei City, and serving the residents is neither a petty job nor a waste of his talent.
"Serving people is never a petty job. I will listen to people's voices and understand their needs along with the Taipei city councilors," he said on Monday night at the dinner party, adding that he will make a final decision after the Lunar New Year.
Another KMT heavyweight, however, threw his support behind Soong.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) yesterday gave his blessing to Soong and said that he would be happy to see Soong have the opportunity to serve the country.
Wang also said that he believes Ma would use his political wisdom to nominate the best candidate to represent the pan-blue alliance.
There has been a great deal of speculation about Soong entering the Taipei mayoral election, but as yet he has not confirmed his position. While running for Taipei mayor may be seen as a come down for Soong when taking into account his political experience, he has expressed his willingness to enter the race realizing that the party needs him to use his charisma in its battle for survival.
Whether Soong's move will help to save his party remains unclear, as many PFP members are said to be planning to leave and join the KMT, but his announcement may cause some conflict within the pan-blue camp regarding the issue of the nomination mechanism.
Huang You-chong (黃幼中), PFP city council caucus whip, said grass-roots supporters questioned the party's ideals last year following Soong's meeting with the president. Soong's decision to enter the mayoral race may just salvage some kind of future for the party.
Chong said that most party members have reached a consensus over the issue and would like to see Soong run in the year-end Taipei mayoral election.
But not everyone will be happy if Soong runs.
There are five or six KMT members who have already expressed an interest in running for Taipei mayor, including KMT Legislator Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) and former Taipei deputy mayor Ou Chin-der (歐晉德).
Ma welcomed all who are willing to serve Taipei residents to join the contest, but stressed that all candidates from his party must go through the KMT's nomination mechanism and denied that the party has discussed a shared nomination mechanism with the PFP.
While independent Legislator Li Ao (
"Soong may be doing the right thing now but I'm afraid it's too late," Li said. "While my candidacy will make little use of my great talent, Soong is exactly the opposite," he added.
Li also made it clear that he would not run as a KMT flag-bearer because the KMT is a "rotten" party.
"There is only competition between me and the KMT, no negotiations nor compromise," he said. "Ma is a gentle person but is overly arrogant."
PFP Legislator Diane Lee (李慶安) said yesterday that she would enter the race, but only if Soong decides not to run.
Taipei city councilors, meanwhile, remained suspicious of whether Soong will run in the mayoral election, but said it will give Taipei residents more choice if he did.
"As a veteran politician with 40 years experience, I don't think Soong would randomly release such news. But if he does decide to run, it is a good idea as Soong can serve the people while securing the PFP's future development," Democratic Progressive Party city councilor Chou Po-ya (
Some officials have speculated that Soong will run for mayor in order to retain his visibility prior to the 2008 presidential election.
Chang refused to comment on whether Soong would run in the 2008 presidential election, saying that he was not in a position to answer that particular question for his chairman.
PFP caucus whip Hwang Yih-jiau (黃義交), however, said that he believes Soong would throw his backing behind Ma's presidential bid if Soong is elected Taipei mayor.
"I believe he [Soong] would serve the four-year term from start to finish and support Ma's presidential bid because it is only to the advantage of the pan-blue camp," he said.
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