Following a series of disputes on negotiations between the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and alternative political groups over cross-party collaborations in the coming legislative election, DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) voiced her willingness to make more concessions.
“To have the forces of reform occupy more than 50 percent of the seats in the legislature, we must endorse the most competitive candidate in each electoral district. It is the DPP’s responsibility and the DPP’s rule of thumb in endorsing candidates,” Tsai said during a speech to the Taiwanese-American community in New York City on Friday during a 12-day visit to the US.
“When there is a candidate in the progressive camp who is most likely to win, of course the person does not have to be nominated by the DPP,” she said.
“If we can yield in the Taipei mayoral election, what else can we not yield?” Tsai added, referring to the DPP’s decision against nominating a candidate last year in the Taipei mayoral election.
The party threw its support behind independent then-candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), who ultimately won a landslide victory.
Tsai said the DPP would establish a competitive, yet cooperative, relationship with other parties that hold common ideas, so that progressive political forces could stand united for a bigger objective.
Tsai was responding to recent criticism from veteran political activist Lin I-hsiung (林義雄) and politicians representing alternative political groups.
The critics said that, while the DPP agreed to yield seats to third-party political candidates, it is not conceding enough.
Tsai said that while she feels “a little saddened” by some of Lin’s words, she understands that it is because Lin has high expectations for Taiwan’s future and its democracy.
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