The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday announced its legislator-at-large nominees, a list which contrasted with past practice as it included a substantial portion of nominees who are not DPP members.
The list of 34 nominees includes 14 who are not affiliated with any political party. Five of the top eight nominees are not DPP members, which means members of the public have a greater chance of winning seats in the legislature in the Jan. 16 elections.
At a press conference in Taipei, DPP Chairwoman and presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that though the roster is very “non-DPP” on the surface, it fully reflects the party’s beliefs of openness and diversity, thereby allowing for more professional input in the legislature.
Photo: CNA
Later in the day, DPP legislators Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君) and Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), who have also been nominated for legislator-at-large seats, visited the Central Election Commission and completed the registration for their nominations.
Each nominee would shoulder their responsibility to push for reform, monitor the government and establish communication between the public and the government if they win a seat in the legislature, Tsai said.
“I promise that each and every DPP lawmaker will assume the role of ‘megaphone,’ to broadcast public opinion. Let us achieve an outright majority in the legislature so that we can truly bring about reform,” Tsai said.
Asked about an opinion piece penned by Eric Chen (陳瑞仁) of the Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office, in which Chen insinuated that Judicial Reform Foundation standing director Wellington Ku’s (顧立雄) acceptance of the DPP nomination proves that “power is enticing,” Tsai said: “I am not sure who he [Chen] is talking about. I believe that Ku is the one who is most familiar with issues about judicial reform. I think that he is an ideal nominee with expansive experience.”
Tsai also confirmed that former Academia Sinica vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) and herself would register as presidential and vice presidential candidates at the Central Election Commission on Friday.
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