The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) failed to gain control of farmers’ associations in elections on Sunday, meaning former Yunlin County commissioner Chang Jung-wei’s family (張榮味) is still in control of the organizations.
Elections were held at farmers’ associations across the nation to elect 11,466 association representatives and 4,662 association officials, with pan-blue candidates securing the majority of seats.
The nation has 286 farmers’ associations, and 942,960 association members were eligible to vote in the elections, which had a voter turnout of 56 percent, the Council of Agriculture said.
Since it came to power, the DPP has been working to gain more influence in the farmers’ association system, with DPP legislators announcing the goal of obtaining one-third of seats in association elections.
However, the elections saw the renewal of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) control over the majority of the associations.
All cities and counties have a pan-blue leadership, except Taipei and Taitung County, where there is no clear political affiliation, and Chiayi County, where the DPP is in control, according to reports.
The DPP’s effort to extend its influence failed completely in Yunlin County, the nation’s most significant agricultural county.
The DPP aimed to seek more than half of the seats in five of the county’s 20 farmers’ associations in a bid to lessen the control of the Chang family, but the DPP failed to obtain a majority in any of the associations, whereas all the candidates endorsed by the Chang family won.
DPP Legislator Su Chih-feng (蘇治芬) said the election result shows that farmers’ associations are still closely tied to local factions, while farmers’ voluntary participation in elections is still lacking.
“Farmers’ associations are the backbone of agricultural production, but local factions have always dominated association elections,” Su said. “There is a long way to go for Taiwan’s farmers to be freed [from factionist influence].”
Su also said the elections were rigged, citing alleged vote-buying in six Yunlin County townships, with candidates reportedly buying votes at NT$1,000 to NT$2,000 per vote.
KMT Legislator Chang Li-shan (張麗善) — who is Chang Jung-wei’s sister — said farmers were the biggest winners of the elections, as they re-elected the “old management team” that was highly trusted by farmers.
The DPP could not sever the connection between farmers and farmers’ associations even with its executive power, as the associations honestly served their members, Chang Li-shan said.
National Farmers’ Association Secretary-General Chang Yung-cheng (張永成) — who is Chang Li-shan’s husband — said the elections were a vote of confidence in the current associations’ leadership and the DPP’s attempt to overturn the elections failed because farmers evaluated candidates on their past performances instead of their political affiliations.
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