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Sun, March 26, 2023 | 02:11
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NPAD national convention fails to attract attention
野당권경쟁 연속극처럼 되풀이…흥행부진 '비상'
Posted : 2015-01-27 16:16
Updated : 2015-01-27 18:50
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By Kang Seung-woo

Despite a number of high-profile candidates running for the post, the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy's (NPAD) national convention to elect a new chairman has largely escaped the public's attention, while negative campaigning between contenders intensifies.

Additionally, other pending issues, including controversial changes to the tax system, are further distracting people's attention away from the selection, scheduled for Feb. 8. Another diversionary event is the ruling Saenuri Party's election on Feb. 2 to select a new floor leader to replace Rep. Lee Wan-koo, who was nominated for prime minister, Friday.

Although it is a mitigating factor that the national convention is not a race for the leadership of the party ahead of a high-stakes election, there are growing concerns that such disinterest may dent its approval ratings in the future.

Reps. Park Jie-won, Moon Jae-in and Lee In-young are running for the chairmanship that has been vacant since co-Chairmen Ahn Cheol-soo and Kim Han-gil stepped down on July 31 due to a drubbing in the July 30 by-election. Rep. Moon Hee-sang, a fifth-term lawmaker, has served as interim leader.

Since the beginning of the campaign, there were voices of concern over a potential failure to attract interest because the so-called "Big Two" ― Moon and Park ― are not the sort of fresh leadership that the public want.

However, they have failed to ease such misgivings over a lack of competitive talent, instead, increasingly engaging in "tedious" defamation campaigns against each other rather than showing a clear vision of leadership. Lee, the other candidate who stresses the generational shift within the party, is not regarded as fit for the job because he has failed to establish himself as an alternative.

The national convention is taking a backseat to other more attention-grabbing matters such as the government's new tax settlement scheme that has sparked a strong public backlash and growing incidents of child abuse at daycare centers that have outraged mothers across the nation.

Incumbent members of the National Assembly are not allowed to help in the campaign in order to prevent potential factional conflicts within the party, so many lawmakers take business trips overseas.

The planned election to pick the Saenuri´s floor leader is also diverting interest away.

As floor leader Lee is now a prime minister-designate, the ruling camp will hold an election six days ahead of the NPAD.

In addition, the Saenuri Party ballot is more intriguing, given that it will determine whether President Park Geun-hye will maintain a grip on the party, according to who becomes the new floor leader.

"The negative campaigning itself means that they are far away from the national interests. Setting aside controversial pending issues, they just care about internal issues and that is why the public show no interest," said a party official.

The former chairman Ahn also criticized the candidates on Monday, saying, "The Feb. 8 national convention has failed to attract attention from the people. The three candidates should feel a sense of crisis over the unpopularity of the party."


野당권경쟁 연속극처럼 되풀이…흥행부진 '비상'

새정치민주연합 당권 레이스가 흥행에 고전중이다.

후보들이 계파주의와 지역주의에 매몰된 비방전에 치중해 전대를 '그들만의 리그'로 전락시켰다는 쓴소리가 나오는데다, 연말정산 파동 등 정국에 중대 현안이 돌출하자 관심도가 급격히 떨어지는 양상이다.

2월8일 전당대회에서 원샷경선을 하는 것도 지방순회 합동연설회의 긴장감을 떨어뜨려 레이스 자체의 흥행부진으로 이어지고 있다.

실제로 후보들은 초반부터 '친노냐, 아니냐', '호남이냐 아니냐'를 두고 지루한 공방만 반복하고 있다.

박지원 후보는 '문재인 때리기'에 진력하고 있다. '꿩 먹고 알 먹고'라는 표현을 동원, 대권ㆍ당권 분리론을 강조하더니 문 후보가 호남을 배신했다는 호남홀대론에 대선 패배 책임론까지 꺼내 공세 수위를 높이고 있다.

문 후보는 박 후보의 거듭된 파상 공세에 인내하며 방어에 치중하는 모습을 보였지만 최근 들어선 '제왕적 대표'라는 표현을 써가며 대응 기조를 전환했다.

지루한 네거티브 공방에 비판 여론이 고조되는 가운데 22일 청주 MBC 주최 합동토론회에서는 문재인, 이인영 후보가 박 후보를 협공하는 양상이 연출돼 눈길을 끌었다.

이인영 후보는 '당권과 대권 논쟁, 비노 친노 논쟁, 영호남 논쟁이 지나치게 격화됐다는 비판이 나온다'며 '필요한 주장이라고 해도 할 만큼 했다'고 박 후보에 '쓴소리'를 날렸다.

문 후보도 박 후보가 통합 진보당과의 선거연대를 문제삼자 '새누리당이 하는 색깔론 공세까지 하는 것은 유감'이라고 받아쳤다.

이에 박 후보는 '이 후보가 문 후보와 맥을 같이 해 저를 공격하니 이상하다'면서 '(나의 주장을) 네거티브로 몰아친다면 이거야 말로 진짜 네거티브'라고 되받았다.

이런 와중에 어린이집 아동 학대 사건과 연말정산 '세금폭탄' 논란과 증세론 등 굵직한 현안이 잇따라 불거지면서 전당대회가 심지어 당내에서도 관심 밖으로 밀려나고 있다.

당 관계자는 '당권 주자들보다 기획재정위원회 위원들이나 경제정책에 전문성을 가진 의원들에게 더 이목이 집중되는 서글픈 상황'이라며 '전당대회와 당이 따로도는 느낌'이라고 꼬집었다.

일부에선 후보들이 대의원 표 등 '당심'을 지나치게 의식하면서 일반 국민들의 관심사에서 괴리되고 있다는 지적도 나오고 있다.

어린이집 사태 등에도 보건복지위원회 김춘진 위원장을 포함한 다수 의원이 해외출장을 떠나면서 야당에 곱지 않은 시선이 늘어난 것도 전대의 관심도를 떨어트린 요인으로 지적된다.

설상가상 격으로 당밖 신당 추진파의 활발한 움직임도 악재로 작용하고 있다.

야권의 차기 리더에 도전장을 낸 후보들이 정책 비전이나 당 개혁 의지를 제대로 보여주지 못함에 따라 신당 창당에 명분을 제공하고 있다는 것이다.

많은 당원은 탈당한 정동영 전 상임고문을 포함해 재야 인사로 이뤄진 국민모임, 정의당 등의 행보에 촉각을 곤두세우고 있다.

지난 대선 때 안철수 의원을 밀었다가 이탈한 인사 등 50여명도 이날 오후 영등포역에서 모여 '신당추진 원탁회의'를 개최한다.

당밖에서 대안정당 시도가 끊이지 않는 것도 전대에서 정책과 비전이 실종된 제1야당의 지리멸렬한 상황이 초래한 것이란 비판이 제기된다. (연합뉴스)
Emailksw@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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