The ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP's) nominees for the mayoral elections in Taiwan's special municipalities in late 2022 will be picked by its chairperson, according to a set of nomination rules passed at the party's national congress on Sunday.
Under the new rules for the 2022 elections, the DPP's candidates in the mayoral elections in Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung will be selected by its chairperson -- currently President Tsai Ing-wen (???) -- and approved by its central executive committee.
The DPP currently holds Taoyuan, Tainan, and Kaohsiung, with the mayors in the latter two cities in southern Taiwan -- Huang Wei-che (???) and Chen Chih-mai (???), respectively -- expected to seek reelection.
Another DPP local government head set to run for reelection is Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang (???).
The party's chairperson will pick nominees for Taipei, New Taipei, and Taichung as well as Taoyuan, since Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (???) is in his second and final four-year term, according to the DPP.
The party will hold a primary for candidates in Keelung, Hsinchu City, and Pingtung County as the DPP heads of the local government in those places will not be running because they will also reach the end of their second term next year.
For the remaining 12 cities or counties where the DPP is not in power, the party plans to come up with candidates through internal discussions before its chairperson nominates them for the central executive's approval, the DPP said.
The DPP national congress also passed rules for the nomination of councilors in the six special municipalities, where new immigrants, members aged 35 and below, and political newcomers will be given extra points in the nomination process. However, children and close relatives of current elected officials are excluded.
According to DPP Secretary-General Lin Hsi-yao (???), the extra points are designed to improve diversity and encourage more participation in the party from the younger generation.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel