TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The DPP Central Executive Committee on Wednesday reaffirmed its commitment to limiting the influence of political dynasties, voting to retain a clause excluding certain candidates from receiving primary election bonuses if they are closely related to public officials.
The rule, originally introduced to level the playing field for new politicians, bars candidates who are within three degrees of kinship to elected officials from receiving a first-time bonus. The list includes the president, vice president, lawmakers, city or county councilors, mayors, and magistrates, per Liberty Times.
This bonus provides an advantage in primary vote weighting for first-time candidates under the age of 35, as well as for immigrants.
DPP Secretary General Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) said the only change made in the latest proposal was the expansion of the rule to include political offices from the former Taichung, Taoyuan, Taipei, Tainan, and Kaohsiung counties. The measure still requires approval at the party’s upcoming national congress.
Some party members, including DPP Legislator Wang Shi-chien (王世堅), criticized the rule as unfair to candidates from political families, arguing it creates discrimination, per UDN. Factions aligned with former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) reportedly support efforts to revise or scrap the clause.
In response, President and DPP Chair Lai Ching-te (賴清德) defended the policy, describing it as a continuation of the party’s longstanding stance against political dynasties. Lai said the DPP must remain committed to inclusivity and should not allow political families to dominate party structures.
The Wednesday meeting also outlined the DPP’s strategy for nominating candidates in the 2026 local elections, per UDN. In jurisdictions where the DPP holds office and incumbents are eligible for reelection, Lai will be responsible for nominating candidates.
In areas where current DPP officeholders are term-limited, the party will hold primaries. For jurisdictions not currently governed by the DPP, Lai will propose candidates based on recommendations from the party's internal election committee and polling data.
