By Chris Wang / Staff reporter
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has to realize that it is no longer the sole driving force behind Taiwan’s progress and that it must collaborate with social forces to move the country forward, former DPP chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday.
“The DPP could again play a critical role in facilitating changes in Taiwan only if it adjusts its outdated and rigid policies and creates a new dimension for party politics in Taiwan,” Tsai said in a speech to the Friends of Tsai Ing-wen, an organization established to strengthen her outreach to local communities.
She said the DPP was disconnected from society and that civic organizations distrusted it, but political parties were still important because they could transform society’s ideals into workable policies.
Civil society is now the primary force in Taiwan pursuing national progress and it is only natural that the impact of political parties has been diminished and marginalized, she said.
“However, that is not to say that the DPP should evade its responsibilities because its role has changed,” Tsai said.
Responding to questions from reporters on the sidelines of the event, Tsai reiterated that she has not yet made a decision about running in the DPP’s chairmanship election in May.
She also said that she has not met recently with former premier and former DPP chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), who has announced his intention to run in the May election, to discuss a possible alliance, as several media outlets have reported.