People Power Party's 'Big Tent Theory' Heats Up... Anti-Tan Candidates Move Toward Alliance

Candidates Seek Alliances Centered on Anti-Impeachment Faction
Plans for an 'Anti-Lee Jae-myung Big Tent' After the Primary

Presidential primary candidates of the People Power Party are igniting the 'Anti-Myung (Anti-Lee Jae-myung) Big Tent Theory.' While the candidates are seeking alliances centered around the anti-impeachment faction, the plan after the primary is to present a single candidate from a camp that encompasses both centrists and conservatives.

The one who brought up the Big Tent Theory was former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, who declared his presidential bid on the 14th. He envisions forming a big tent with other candidates if he becomes the final nominee in the People Power Party primary. On the 15th, on SBS Radio's Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show, he stated, "Once the party's candidate is chosen, not only the Reform New Party but also the anti-Lee Jae-myung forces within the Democratic Party should unite around that person to block former Representative Lee."

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo is declaring his candidacy for the 21st presidential election at the Camp office in Daehwa Building, Yeouido, Seoul on April 14, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Former Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moon-soo also supported this, saying, "If anyone can defeat former Representative Lee, they should be welcomed into the big tent." People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyung-won kept the possibility open, saying, "We must always imagine and prepare according to the changing political situation."

The Big Tent Theory is being discussed because former Representative Lee is overwhelmingly leading in various opinion polls. In this situation, the only winning strategy is to create a one-on-one matchup with Lee through an anti-Myung electoral alliance. A senior People Power Party lawmaker said in a phone interview, "It's unfortunate that some valuable candidates are dropping out, but we need to focus on consolidating the conservative base and seek to expand the coalition after the primary."

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There are also moves toward alliances among the primary candidates. On the morning of the 15th, former Minister Kim met with Gyeongbuk Governor Lee Cheol-woo at the Park Chung-hee Presidential Memorial Hall in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Kim hinted at the possibility of unification, saying, "Such meetings among us can happen frequently."

As the People Power Party primary is evolving into a confrontation between the anti-impeachment faction and the pro-impeachment faction, it is interpreted as an effort to explore the possibility of unification later. The first primary will narrow down the candidates to four, with former Minister Kim Moon-soo, former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon, and former Mayor Hong Joon-pyo likely to advance. If lawmaker Na Kyung-won also advances, the anti-impeachment faction would have three candidates (Kim Moon-soo, Na Kyung-won, Hong Joon-pyo) against one pro-impeachment candidate (Han Dong-hoon), putting the anti-impeachment faction at a disadvantage. The second primary will be conducted with 50% party members' votes and 50% public votes, and if former leader Han absorbs all pro-impeachment votes, his chances of advancing to the final primary increase. Even if lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo, classified as pro-impeachment, advances to the second primary, many analyses suggest that unification of the anti-impeachment faction to consolidate conservative support will be inevitable in the final candidate selection process.