The Democratic Party is facing internal strife over the introduction of a preference voting system and a youth committee at its upcoming convention on August 17. Proponents argue that this was agreed upon a year ago, while opponents warn it could create confusion with less than a week until candidate registration.
During a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Han Byeong-do, the party's acting leader, emphasized that the convention should be a platform for unity and celebration. He urged the preparation committee to quickly finalize the preference voting method and the establishment of the youth committee.
Han stated, "This system was adopted based on decisions made during Lee Jae-myung's tenure as party leader, and it was supported by everyone a year ago. Now, it is being questioned because it may disadvantage certain candidates."
Another council member, Kang Deuk-gu, questioned why a rule that had not posed any issues for a year is suddenly being challenged just before candidate registration. He suggested that if there are no calculations of advantage or disadvantage, the reasoning behind the challenge is unclear.
Conversely, Lee Seong-yun, an opponent, argued that the party constitution is not merely an internal guideline but the party's constitution. He asserted that the rules established by party members cannot be overridden by any individual or organization. He added that no institution or person can stand above the party's constitution.
Moon Jeong-bok, another council member, expressed concern that applying the preference voting system without amending current regulations would violate the party's constitution. He questioned whether young party members would have enough time to prepare with the candidate registration deadline approaching on the 16th.
Following the Supreme Council meeting, chief spokesperson Kang Jun-hyeon told reporters that Han Byeong-do expressed a strong commitment to reach a conclusion in any form. This indicates an effort to quickly resolve the factional conflict arising from the proposed system.
However, both Kang and Han separately stated that council members intending to run for the Supreme Council or local party chair positions should resign immediately. Kang also insisted that Park Ji-won, a council member representing regular party members, and Park Gyu-hwan, a nominated council member, should step down as well, citing their recent election and appointment by former leader Jeong Cheong-rae, respectively.
With Han's declaration to reach a conclusion by today, there is a possibility that the preference voting system could be approved through a vote in the Supreme Council. However, if a majority vote occurs, it is believed to disadvantage the proponents. In response, Han stated, "I have not yet considered what to do if it is rejected, but we need to find a spirit of compromise to avoid a vote."
The preference voting system allows voters to list their top three preferred candidates on a single ballot. If a candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes in the first round, they are declared the winner. If no candidate achieves a majority, subsequent choices are counted. Some analysts suggest this method may favor the proponents.
The youth committee will elect one of the five Supreme Council members separately. The composition of the electorate will follow the same rules as for the election of the party leader and Supreme Council members. If there are four or more candidates, a preliminary election will be held to select three candidates, with the highest vote-getter winning in a one-person, one-vote system.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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