Why Opposition Party Candidates Remain Invisible

Elections are battles between people. Even when the odds are unfavorable, the fight begins once candidates step forward. But the story changes when candidates themselves are nowhere to be seen. This describes the People Power Party's situation four months before the June 3 local elections. For months, names have been floated as potential candidates, but none have materialized.

"When the party is struggling, even open recruitment for party positions fails to attract applicants," said one first-term lawmaker, encapsulating the internal mood. While ruling party lawmakers announce their candidacies almost daily, People Power Party incumbents focus solely on their home turf. All six sitting lawmakers who have declared their candidacy so far are running for Daegu mayor. This stands in stark contrast to the Democratic Party of Korea, where at least 18 candidates have announced or are preparing to run in Seoul, the greater capital region, and Honam.

This talent shortage cannot be explained simply by the political axiom that "elections held right after losing power are difficult." The more fundamental problem is that prolonged internal strife has left no clear leadership to guide the campaign. Few are willing to stake their political futures on a party mired in conflict that cannot serve as a reliable backer.

Rumors circulate in political circles that the so-called "party leadership faction" cares only about power dynamics after the local elections, focusing exclusively on rallying hardcore supporters. Some even speculate that the convention of defeated leadership stepping aside may be broken this time.

Yet no leadership has emerged to resolve these conflicts. Even senior lawmakers with over a decade of experience maintain a stance of watching from the sidelines. "You have to assume they're hiding because they don't want to be awkwardly dragged into the disputes," one senior lawmaker admitted painfully.

The crisis facing the People Power Party is not merely the possibility of short-term electoral defeat. The absence of candidates reflects neither a simple talent shortage nor temporary conflict. It is because no one views this party—where no one takes responsibility—as a force that can be trusted with power again. The complacency of thinking votes will come just by doing things as always will not win the public's hearts. The party must abandon the illusion that power can emerge from leadership without accountability.