DPP Factions Ally Against Su’s Dominance as Chairmanship Election Looms

DPP Factions Ally Against Su’s Dominance as Chairmanship Election Looms

                         Source: Taipei newspapers   February 13, 2012

DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is expected to step down at the end of this month. Although it is unclear who will vie for the DPP chairpersonship, it is generally believed that former Premier Su Tseng-chang（蘇貞昌）is the person with the biggest edge within the party in jockeying for the position. However, according to media reports, other factions within the party have surreptitiously joined hands in order to prevent the Su faction from gathering momentum. A person familiar with the source said that former DPP chairman Yu Shyi-kun (游錫堃) would establish a new office in Taipei in March, adding “The Yu faction would not be absent from the chairpersonship election during the post-Tsai Ing-wen era.”   

After losing the 2012 Presidential Election, various factions within the DPP have tried to realign themselves to vie for the chairpersonship, which will impact on the DPP’s 2016 Presidential primaries. Political analysts commented that after Tsai Ing-wen stepped down as DPP chairwoman, the DPP was expected to enter into a “warring- states period” in March as several heavy-weight candidates within the party were expected to express their interest in the chairpersonship election slated for the end of May.

Among all potential candidates, it is generally believed that Su has the best chance of winning the election if he decides to run.   

According to a DPP faction member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, various factions other than the Su faction have tried to cooperate in the chairpersonship election. For instance, in addition to former Tainan County Executive Su Huan-chih (蘇煥智) and former DPP legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮), who have already expressed an interest in the chairpersonship, some heavy-weight candidates would also throw their hats into the ring in order to keep the Su faction in check.  

It is reported that New Taipei City Councilman Chang Hung-lu (張宏陸), a member of the Su Faction, will run for the directorship of the DPP New Taipei City Chapter. However, other DPP factions will also promote their own candidates to challenge Chang.   

Super Meng (孟義超), director of the Yu Shyi-kun (游錫堃) Office, said, “There are voices from the rank-and-file demanding that Yu join in the election. The DPP leader in the next stage must unite all party factions. All factions should cooperate and avoid making the same mistakes as had transpired in 2008.”

When asked if he would run in the DPP chairpersonship election, Su, who attended a friend’s wedding banquet yesterday, told the media, “I haven’t made any decision yet.”   

Commenting on the DPP chairpersonship election, former Vice President Annette Lu said, “We should encourage those who have the willingness, experience and resolution to run in the election. As long as we are not a dictatorship, it is indeed a good thing to see many people joining in the election.”   

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