The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will nominate its legislators-at-large in two groups, with the party deciding on nominees for the expert group for December's legislative election after the party congress consented to the proposal made by legislators yesterday.
A proposal to dissolve party factions, however, was put on hold by party chairman, President Chen Shui-bian (
The final regulations, propounded mainly by legislators from the Justice Alliance and the New Tide faction, with a slight amendment to the original proposal made by Welfare State Alliance Legislator Chou Ching-yu (周清玉), states that the three legislator-at-large categories -- experts, politicians and minorities, should be reduced to two: experts and politicians, with each group holding 50 percent of the seats.
Appointees for the politician category would be decided on by a vote of party members as well as a poll, each with a 50-percent weighting, while the expert group will be nominated entirely by a seven to nine-person nomination committee, whose members will be appointed by the party chairman Chen and approved by the Central Executive Committee. The expert nomination list then will also need to be approved by the Central Executive Committee.
The original two-term restriction on legislators-at-large will also be lifted in the new regulations.
The amendment proposed by Chou stipulates that expert nominees must have been party members for two years, unless they are proven to know and identify with the DPP's ideals, and have contributed to the DPP and society substantially.
The reform is meant to kick nepotism out of the party, but it has been met with strong opposition from some of the party's old guard.
However, Chen's will in pushing through the reform prevailed, and he delivered an opening speech which was tough on the reform line.
"In this election, we urged the public to believe in Taiwan and insist on reform (相信台灣堅持改革), and we have to realize that promise. To insist on reform, we have to start with the DPP first," Chen said.
Chen said that DPP had to learn from the KMT's corruption and downfall which was a result of its failure to reform.
"Self-initiated and incessant reform is the only method of preservation for a party, and the DPP has to be the forerunner for reform and push Taiwan to reform," Chen said.
The proposal was finally passed amidst a round of applause, without being brought to vote.
Meanwhile, a proposal to dissolve party factions is frozen, with Chen saying the proposal will be sent to the Central Executive Committee for further study, and will be discussed again in the party congress on July 18, despite the representatives favorable response to the proposal.
Even Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh (
Hsieh said that the proposal could be passed in principle right now.
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