ed Opposition in chaos

NPAD must get closer to people, not controlled by hard-liners

The New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) appears to be plunging deeper into a crisis amid protracted partisan wrangling over the special Sewol bill. Park Young-sun, the party’s interim leader, had to withdraw her ambitious plan to let two outsiders co-lead the party until it holds a party convention early next year in the face of strong opposition from hard-liners within the NPAD.

Park, who also acts as the largest opposition party’s floor leader, reportedly wanted to move its stances closer to the center of the political spectrum. To do so, she appointed two candidates from outside the party: Ahn Kyong-whan, a renowned professor emeritus at Seoul National University; and Lee Sang-don, a professor emeritus at Chung-Ang University.

Party members, especially the hard-liners, did not take kindly to these new appointees. They, in particular, reacted furiously to Park’s recruitment of Lee, a former member of the ruling Saenuri Party who worked for its reform committee before the 2012 general and presidential elections, saying Park had betrayed the party’s values.

It’s not difficult to understand why Park made such a bold move. At a time when support for the liberal party has nosedived, in the aftermath of two consecutive election defeats, the former TV anchor felt that change was needed. But her idea ended in failure because of the party’s dogmatism and exclusivity.

This stands in acute contrast with the situation in 2012, when the governing Saenuri party underwent similar reforms. In the run-up to two crucial elections, the then Grand National Party changed the party’s name and scouted Kim Jong-in, a liberal-minded politician and economist, for a leading post within the party with the aim of winning the hearts and minds of the electorate.

True, people’s distrust of the main opposition party has already reached dangerous levels as the NPAD has turned a deaf ear to the public’s calls to address essential economic issues that affect the daily lives of the people. It is no wonder that an opinion poll conducted after the Chuseok holidays showed that 68 percent of respondents supported prompt action to address those other issues, even in the absence of a resolution on the Sewol bill.

Given the NPAD’s rigidity, it is questionable whether the party has a shot at retaking power in 2017. This is all the more true because the party is at the mercy of hard-liners who remain loyal to the late President Roh Moo-hyun and his ideology at a time when they should be embracing more middle-of-the-roaders.

Of course, the party’s difficulties will not be resolved overnight, and it will take more than a few new recruits to reshape party policy. Openness to outsiders, however, could be the start of an improved party image. What’s needed is for the NPAD to create an intraparty culture that is not controlled by hard-liners and get closer to the people.