A party still defying the calls for reform

In a press conference on Thursday, a group of lawmakers not loyal to Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung demanded that he resign and an emergency committee covering all factions be set up to resolve a crisis originating from their boss. The four DP legislators said they would help the majority party stay afloat rather than help split the party.

On Wednesday, two first-term lawmakers of the DP vowed not to run in the upcoming parliamentary election on April 10 after criticizing the outmoded political culture and the party’s apparent move toward a retrogressive electoral system. That was their last warning against the DP’s bigwigs who show no signs of change even after watching the reform drive in the governing People Power Party (PPP).

But there is no innovative move coming from the DP. Party leaders, pro-Lee lawmakers and other former democracy fighters now in their 50s steadfastly refuse to sacrifice their vested interests. Only four DP legislators said they would not run in the next election. As expected, the DP leader accentuated the need to “maintain unity at a maximum,” while reluctantly conceding to the need for reform, to unify the party based on his avid followers.

The responsibility for reckless political battles and disregard for the tough livelihood of the people should also be borne by President Yoon Suk Yeol and the PPP, as they have never extended a hand to the DP to seek its help in governing the country. Nevertheless, the DP that holds 168 seats in the 300-member legislature cannot avoid accountability for the public fatigue from the ceaseless partisan fights inside and outside the chamber.

The DP leader in particular jeopardized the normal function of the Assembly due to the need to defend himself against his judicial risks. A political party enslaved by hardcore supporters and fandom politics has dealt a critical blow to the integrity of democracy. The DP must reflect on how it has behaved so far.

And yet, the DP is still buoyed by its overly optimistic prediction of an election victory — such as a bet on obtaining a majority on its own or even up to 200 seats. Public hatred against politicians is further deepened by the never-ending substandard rhetoric by DP lawmakers against the PPP. The DP must not forget that its landslide victory in a Seoul by-election in October was possible thanks to the PPP’s complacency, not its own merits.

Nearly one-third of voters are closely watching the way the two parties act. After the PPP initiated a reform drive, Lee Nak-yon, a former DP leader, has embarked on his crusade to create a new party in protest of the tyranny of the party leader. The DP must remember that the voters always took the side of the political party that innovated itself.