"Practice Over Rules"…People Power Party Introduces Systematic Nomination

People Power Party Nomination Committee System Decision
Reduction Applied for Triple-Terms in Same District
Attention on Cutoff Targets and Possible Shift to Third Zone

The People Power Party introduced a system nomination for the first time in history. It is a direct challenge to overcome controversies such as the ‘Yoon-sim (President Yoon Suk-yeol’s intention)’. Within the party, there are concerns that ‘implementation’ is the key. In the political sphere, there is speculation that a large number of lawmakers who are ‘cut off’ (excluded from nomination) may move to the third party.

According to political circles on the 17th, the People Power Party announced the primary election guidelines the day before. After evaluating incumbent lawmakers, seven lawmakers who received the lowest evaluations (bottom 10% or less), determined by region, will be completely excluded from nomination. Lawmakers who fall within the bottom 10-30% will be subject to a 20% penalty applied to 18 lawmakers (determined by region) based on a replacement index evaluated by party audit results, a cut-off survey conducted by the nomination committee, and party contribution. Among the 90 People Power Party district lawmakers, 25 (27%) will be disadvantaged in the primary. Additionally, for incumbents with three or more terms in the same district, 15% of their primary vote share will be automatically deducted. Jeong Young-hwan, chairman of the People Power Party nomination committee, stated the day before, "If an incumbent with three or more terms in the same district falls between the bottom 10% and 30%, up to 35% can be deducted."

Jeong Young-hwan, Chairman of the People Power Party's Nomination Management Committee, is attending the first Nomination Management Committee meeting held at the Yeouido party headquarters on the 16th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Until now, the People Power Party, which has advocated bottom-up nominations at every nomination, had not introduced system nominations, so this is a radical experiment. The background for introducing system nominations is to block the so-called ‘Yoon-sim controversy,’ which suggests that personnel from the prosecution or the presidential office could receive nominations unfairly. Previously, Han Dong-hoon, emergency committee member of the People Power Party, declared, "The process will be fair, and the nomination will be a winning one."

However, since the nomination committee emphasizes ‘orderly generational change’ as a feature of the nomination, the party’s internal reaction is drawing attention.

For now, those relatively free from the application of this standard have given positive reviews.

Kim Moo-sung, former leader of the Saenuri Party (predecessor of the People Power Party), evaluated the nomination guidelines of the nomination committee in an MBC radio interview, saying, "It seems to be very well made," and "I feel somewhat reassured." Kim, who has advocated ‘democratic nomination, system nomination, and bottom-up nomination,’ said, "The will of the people has been reflected." However, he refrained from commenting on the system method for lawmakers with three or more terms in the same district who are subject to deductions.

Although the ‘rule’ issue regarding nominations has been established, the ‘execution’ issue remains. Ahn Cheol-soo, a People Power Party lawmaker, praised the nomination guidelines of the nomination committee in a BBS radio interview but said, "What is important is whether it will really be executed that way during the implementation process," and added, "Not everyone enters the primary; some are cut off first, and only a few compete. A common tactic is to cut off competitive people." He said, "Since the rule has been established, it is a winning nomination to allow competitive people to participate in the primary without artificially cutting them off with strange excuses and to support the winner."

Within the party, it is expected that the nomination rules will increase concerns among senior figures in the Yeongnam region. Despite Innovation Chairman In Yo-han’s urging, except for lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung, no one had declared candidacy in difficult districts such as the metropolitan area, but this time, other choices may emerge.

However, there is also speculation that those facing the risk of being cut off or those subject to cut-off may move to a third party such as the ‘Reform New Party’ founded by former leader Lee Jun-seok as a backlash. Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won congratulated former leader Lee Jun-seok on social media the day before. Park said, "The nomination massacre that saves the prosecution core and presidential office core but kills the party’s lawmakers is starting as expected," and claimed, "If they flock to the Reform New Party, it will form a parliamentary negotiation group, have the number 3 on the ballot, and receive a large amount of election state subsidies."

On the other hand, Lee Yang-su, senior deputy floor leader of the People Power Party, said in an SBS radio interview, "As the ruling party, we are given opportunities to serve the country and society beyond being lawmakers," and added, "It is difficult to jump to the Reform New Party or other parties to do politics after being cut off." He suggested that the possibility of a backlash from cut-offs is not high.