Veteran Opposition Lawmakers Call for United Opposition... "Let's Give Up Privileges" (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Senior members of the People Power Party are voicing that for the opposition coalition to succeed, the People Power Party must relinquish its vested interests and actively engage in selecting a unified opposition candidate.

On the 27th, People Power Party lawmaker Jang Je-won stated on Facebook, "The party should respond more actively to Ahn Cheol-soo's proposal for unifying the Seoul mayoral candidate," adding, "Leader Ahn is not asking for a royal treatment but for a fair primary election."

He cited Ahn's recent media interview, saying, "He is willing to be the kindling, but intends to be the kindling that maximizes the chances of victory," and added, "Now the ball is in the People Power Party's court."

Jang opposed the closed opinion that insists on Ahn's party membership and also opposed the method of selecting the People Power Party candidate first and then unifying with Ahn, arguing that it could reduce the People Power Party primary to a preliminary round.

Instead, he proposed breaking down party barriers to select a unified opposition candidate. He said, "This time, the best approach is to break down the party walls and create a 'ring for a unified primary' that produces a single opposition candidate," and emphasized, "A change in attitude from Emergency Committee Chair Kim Jong-in is necessary."

He criticized, "A cynical attitude towards Leader Ahn, saying 'He is just one of the mayoral candidates, so there is no need to react strongly,' does not help the election at all," and added, "Showing personal likes or dislikes is not the right attitude for someone responsible for the party."

Jang said, "In a scenario where failure is inevitable without unification, saying 'We don't need Ahn Cheol-soo, so we'll do it among ourselves' is not right," and added, "We should skip the probing and wrestling and agree on a straightforward and clean unification primary method."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Three-term lawmaker Yoon Young-seok of the People Power Party, who declared his candidacy for the next party leader, also raised his voice, saying, "'Bold inclusion' is the only way to create 'bold hope,'" and emphasized, "For victory in next year's by-election and the 2022 presidential election, a grand opposition coalition is essential."

He said, "For the People Power Party to achieve a grand opposition coalition and win the by-election and presidential election, it must first make self-sacrifices by relinquishing vested interests," and stressed, "As the eldest brother of the opposition, by demonstrating 'bold inclusion' leadership, the grand opposition coalition can be achieved, and the People Power Party can lead the victory in the upcoming by-election and presidential election political landscape."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.