Speaking after a meeting of the soon-to-be-opposition party's Central Executive Committee, DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) stated that the CEC meeting had approved the referral of a package of "common agreements" reached on a wide range of party reform proposals on core party values, organizational systems, nomination procedures and grassroots service operations during an expanded party re-examination council Saturday to a special party congress May 4 for final debate and ratification.

The party leaders and activists participating in Saturday's meeting approved seven pages of "common progressive" and "center-left" political orientation, adopt an "inclusive" concept of "Taiwan-centrism," tighten party discipline and integrity standards and rebuild links with civic and social reform movements and grassroots supporters

Hsieh stated that the approval of a wide range of party affair reforms after numerous re-examination meetings in the past month showed that "the DPP continuously strives for progress and does not fear re-examination under the sun."

However, Hsieh noted that former DPP chairman Yu Shyi-kun had openly opposed a proposal to eliminate the use of "filtering" in opinion surveys used in the primary nomination process, which combines scores for direct votes by party members account and public opinion polls to choose among competing candidates.

When Yu was chairman, the CEC approved the adoption of "filtering questions" that would screen out replies from respondents who expressed support for "pan-blue" parties such as the Kuomintang, the People First Party and the New Party from the primary scores for posts such as president and vice president, legislator, municipal, city and county mayors and municipal and city council persons and county assembly persons

The filtering system was ultimately only used in the primaries for constituency and at-large legislator candidates and many party leaders and former legislators believe use of these "pan-blue filters" distorted the DPP's nomination strategy and contributed to the party's debacle in the January 12 Legislative Yuan poll.

Due to Yu's objection Saturday, the initial proposal to drop such filters could not be referred to the upcoming special party congress as a "consensus" position for approval.

Hsieh related that the CEC had therefore approved a motion by DPP Central Standing Committee member and former legislator Wu Ping-rui to strike out the requirement "include filtering questions" in a set of procedures on the holding of opinion surveys used in party primaries.

The motion to drop the filters was approved by the CEC with one committee member in opposition.

Hsieh stated that since the motion affected only a "implementing regulation," the CEC's decision would not have to be referred to the May 4 congress.

The DPP chairman also related that the three registered candidates in the May 18 election of the party chairperson, namely former senior presidential advisor Koo Kwan-ming, DPP Legislator Trong Chai (蔡同榮) and former vice premier Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), had agreed to participation in "consultations."

"But all of them said that they would not agree to withdraw from the race," related Hsieh, who met Koo and Chai last over the weekend and Tsai yesterday morning after her return from a lecture visit to the United States.

Hsieh stated that the candidates would hold consultations on the number of debates, campaign ethics and other issues.

Replying to reports that some "pan-green" supporters planned to disrupt the May 20 inaugural banquet for incoming Kuomintang president-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Hsieh stated that such actions would be "inappropriate" and stated that the DPP need to maintain "grace and style."