Allow PPP members to vote on the motion
Published: 09 Dec. 2024, 20:01
The governing People Power Party (PPP) is still confused over “an orderly retreat” of President Yoon Suk Yeol after his absurd declaration of martial law last Tuesday. The majority Democratic Party (DP) plans to re-vote on another motion to impeach the president on Saturday, but the PPP still can’t find a breakthrough. The governing party held a series of urgent meetings to discuss the issue Monday, but no conclusion has been reached yet.
The PPP announced that it will find convincing ways for an orderly exit of the president, which includes shortening his five-year presidential term through a Constitutional revision and handing over the authority for national governance to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. But the situation has suddenly turned tense after the police and the prosecution rushed to investigate the president on the suspicion of rebellion against the state.
The prosecution has already treated President Yoon as a suspect in the rebellion case and the Ministry of Justice also banned the president from leaving the country. Opposition parties and civic groups are joining forces to mount pressure on the president to step down. The PPP is being forced to find a detailed action plan for his step-down before the second impeachment vote this coming Saturday.
But the PPP cannot reach any consensus on the road map for the president’s orderly retreat due to its deep-seated factional conflicts. If the PPP fails to present an acceptable way out for the president, the conservative party cannot justify its possible decision to block its members from voting.
PPP members know well that the president cannot perform his role as head of state, given massive repercussions from his nonsensical declaration of martial law. And yet, the PPP wants to buy time until the Supreme Court delivers a final ruling on DP leader Lee Jae-myung’s alleged violation of the Public Official Election Act. But the PPP can hardly buy time because Lee has a perfect chance to clear all his judicial risks at once thanks to Yoon’s critical mistake and embody his dream to become the president in a by-election.
What should be prioritized between democratic principles and political calculations? In a democracy, it is common sense to cherish the former over the latter. If the PPP can’t present a convincing solution for an orderly retreat of the president, the party must allow its members to cast their votes based on their consciences. If the PPP chooses to block its members from voting — as it did last Saturday — it will only help the party’s low approval rating plunge further.
It doesn’t make sense for the PPP leadership to treat its lawmakers as if they were kindergarten students. The party must think seriously about people’s reaction to its possible decision to block its members from voting again. The PPP must leave the vote to individual lawmakers’ decisions. There’s no better solution than that.
The PPP announced that it will find convincing ways for an orderly exit of the president, which includes shortening his five-year presidential term through a Constitutional revision and handing over the authority for national governance to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. But the situation has suddenly turned tense after the police and the prosecution rushed to investigate the president on the suspicion of rebellion against the state.
The prosecution has already treated President Yoon as a suspect in the rebellion case and the Ministry of Justice also banned the president from leaving the country. Opposition parties and civic groups are joining forces to mount pressure on the president to step down. The PPP is being forced to find a detailed action plan for his step-down before the second impeachment vote this coming Saturday.
But the PPP cannot reach any consensus on the road map for the president’s orderly retreat due to its deep-seated factional conflicts. If the PPP fails to present an acceptable way out for the president, the conservative party cannot justify its possible decision to block its members from voting.
PPP members know well that the president cannot perform his role as head of state, given massive repercussions from his nonsensical declaration of martial law. And yet, the PPP wants to buy time until the Supreme Court delivers a final ruling on DP leader Lee Jae-myung’s alleged violation of the Public Official Election Act. But the PPP can hardly buy time because Lee has a perfect chance to clear all his judicial risks at once thanks to Yoon’s critical mistake and embody his dream to become the president in a by-election.
What should be prioritized between democratic principles and political calculations? In a democracy, it is common sense to cherish the former over the latter. If the PPP can’t present a convincing solution for an orderly retreat of the president, the party must allow its members to cast their votes based on their consciences. If the PPP chooses to block its members from voting — as it did last Saturday — it will only help the party’s low approval rating plunge further.
It doesn’t make sense for the PPP leadership to treat its lawmakers as if they were kindergarten students. The party must think seriously about people’s reaction to its possible decision to block its members from voting again. The PPP must leave the vote to individual lawmakers’ decisions. There’s no better solution than that.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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