TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Democratic Progressive Party spokesperson Justin Wu (吳崢) on Sunday defended the party’s nomination process after Enoch Wu (吳怡農), a defense policy advocate and former legislative candidate, publicly objected to the DPP’s decision not to hold primaries in areas where it does not currently hold office.

Justin Wu referenced Enoch Wu’s own experience as a DPP nominee, noting that the party directly selected him for the 2023 legislative by-election in Taipei following the resignation of then-legislator Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), per Tai Sounds. He said this demonstrated the party’s confidence in Wu’s qualifications and called for trust in the broader nomination mechanism.

The DPP recently released candidate selection guidelines for the 2026 local elections. The rules permit direct nominations in opposition-held districts, bypassing the need for open primaries—a move that drew criticism from Enoch Wu.

In a Facebook post Friday, Enoch Wu argued that skipping primaries in such areas could undermine fairness and erode the party’s democratic values, per Newtalk. He cited international precedents and internal party history, including President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) participation in the 2019 DPP presidential primary.

Wu also referenced his 2022 call for a primary and urged the party to remain open to contributions from a diverse range of voices.