DPP national congress to discuss 2026 election nomination rules

Taipei, June 27 (CNA) The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will discuss election nomination regulations for Taiwan's 2026 local elections at its annual national congress being held Saturday.

The draft regulations on nominating candidates for city mayors or county magistrates and city and county councilors were passed by the party's Central Executive Committee (CEC) earlier this month.

They stipulate that the party's chairperson, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), will nominate incumbent mayor or magistrate candidates in their first term, which then have to be approved by the CEC.

Primaries will be held for local DPP government heads completing their second term, including those in Kaohsiung, Tainan, and Chiayi County, with the schedules to be planned by the "2026 election strategy committee."

Members of the committee will be nominated by the party chairperson and approved for appointment by the party's central standing committee.

The regulations also outline how the committee will determine a single nominee for municipalities not governed by the DPP, and they allow for a different plan to be approved by the CEC for nominations with special considerations.

Once the regulations are passed, contenders for nominations must adhere to party rules and refrain from attacking one another or damaging the party's image, and those who violate the rules will be disqualified from candidacy consideration.

Meanwhile, the draft regulations for nominating municipal councilors include weighted mechanisms designed to encourage new talent.