People Power Party "Concerns Over 'Blind' June Local Election for Metropolitan Council Members... Democratic Party Must Engage in Talks"

"To Push for Democratic Party's Major Local Election Petition, Ruling and Opposition Floor Leaders Must Engage in Agenda Talks"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Kwon Hyun-ji] Members of the People Power Party's Political Reform Special Committee urged the Democratic Party and the Justice Party to engage in discussions regarding the adjustment of the number of metropolitan council members in relation to the upcoming June local elections.

On the 16th, members of the People Power Party's Political Reform Special Committee held a press conference at the National Assembly, stating, "It has already been two and a half months since the December 31, 2021 deadline set by the Constitutional Court for adjusting the number of metropolitan council members and redrawing electoral districts, and over a month since the February 18 start date for registering preliminary candidates for metropolitan council members. The unofficial deadline of March 18 requested by the National Election Commission due to practical scheduling is now only two days away," adding, "We are currently facing an unprecedented situation where the number of metropolitan council members and electoral districts are not determined."

They claimed that although the '30,000 population - 30%' proposal reached a consensus in the first subcommittee of the Political Reform Special Committee in February, the issue of introducing a multi-member district system for basic council members by the Democratic Party has delayed the process.

Members of the People Power Party's Political Reform Special Committee criticized, "The issue of the basic council members' electoral district system emerged abruptly as an election strategy issue just before the presidential election. Regardless of the content problems and inappropriateness, it is a matter on which the ruling and opposition parties have not reached an agenda agreement. The Democratic Party leadership is saying that unless the multi-member district system for basic council members is introduced, they will not process the adjustment of the number of local council members and the redrawing of electoral districts."

They pointed out, "At the election sites now, a blind situation is unfolding where candidates have to prepare for the imminent election without knowing how many council members there will be or where their electoral districts are."

Members of the People Power Party's Political Reform Special Committee demanded that the adjustment of the number of metropolitan council members and the redrawing of electoral districts be processed based on the originally approached proposal. They also stated, "Please verify whether the proposal to change the basic council members' electoral district system is a sincere plan or a strategically thrown issue. If it is truly considered a reform that must be pursued, the party leadership should first meet to discuss the agenda."

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