First- and second-term lawmakers of the People Power Party will hold a candidate debate Thursday to examine party reform plans and strategies for confronting the ruling party, one day before the election of the party's next floor leader.
According to political sources Wednesday, Rep. Park Sang-woong, head of the party's first-term lawmakers' group, and Rep. Eom Tae-young, head of the second-term lawmakers' group, will hold a meeting at 2 p.m. Thursday at the National Assembly main building, inviting Reps. Kim Do-eup, Chung Jum-sik, and Sung Il-jong, who are running for floor leader.
It is unusual for a separate debate to be held the day before the floor leader election. The move is seen as first- and second-term lawmakers, who make up about half of all members, creating a stage for direct examination, as public attention focused on the upcoming floor leader election held right after the June 3 local elections, and as criticism arose both inside and outside the party that the election schedule was overly tight.
Each candidate is expected to face questions on the causes of the local election defeat, future party reform roadmaps, plans to recover support in the greater Seoul area and among young people, and parliamentary strategies against the Lee Jae-myung administration and the Democratic Party. Free questioning by first- and second-term lawmakers will also take place.
The People Power Party will elect its next floor leader at a general meeting of lawmakers Friday. Mobile voting will be introduced for the first time in this election. The party's election management committee accepted opinions calling for the protection of voting rights for lawmakers who find it difficult to vote in person due to overseas business trips. Mobile voting is scheduled to be conducted Thursday for lawmakers who have registered for absentee voting and completed the procedures verifying their overseas business trips.
