TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Factions aligned with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) secured seven of the 10 elected seats on the DPP’s Central Standing Committee in Sunday's national party congress election, consolidating Lai's influence over the party.
Following the election, the New Tide (新潮流) faction holds three seats on the Central Standing Committee. Former President Tsai Ing-wen's (蔡英文) faction, the Taiwan Normal Country Promotion Association (正常國家促進會), the Green Fellowship Association (綠色友誼連線), Taiwan Forward (湧言會), the Democracy Living Water Connection (民主活水連線), DPP Legislator Chen Ting-fei's (陳亭妃) faction, and former Premier Su Tseng-chang's (蘇貞昌) faction each hold one seat, per CNA.
Factions not aligned with Lai — Tsai's faction, Su's faction, and Chen's faction — control three seats, while Lai-aligned factions expanded their majority to seven.
The outcome underscores Lai's growing influence within the party, giving his allies effective control over drafting the rules for the DPP's 2027 presidential primary and shaping the party's at-large legislator list for the 2028 legislative election, per NOWNews. Although DPP Secretary-General Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) said the results were acceptable to all factions, party insiders described the internal competition as intense.
DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), a member of Taiwan Forward, gave up his nomination for the Central Standing Committee in favor of DPP Kaohsiung City Councilor Lin Chih-hung (林智鴻), per UDN. The move came after fellow Taiwan Forward member Keelung City Councilor Cheng Wen-ting (鄭文婷) failed to win a seat on the Central Executive Committee, leaving the faction one vote short of securing a Central Standing Committee seat.
At the same time, rumors surfaced alleging Wang had served as an informant during Taiwan's authoritarian era, accusations he denied, per Storm Media. Although Taiwan Forward ultimately backed Wang, senior party leaders, including Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), called on him to withdraw from the Central Standing Committee race. Chen Chi-mai later helped Taiwan Forward secure its sole seat.
The Democracy Living Water Connection, led by Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), negotiated with the Taiwan Normal Country Promotion Association to preserve its lone Central Standing Committee seat, per UP Media. The faction agreed to replace its candidate, lawmaker Lai Hui-yuan (賴惠員), with lawmaker Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) after the Taiwan Normal Country Promotion Association declined to support Lai Hui-yuan, who had defected from the Taiwan Normal Country Promotion Association.
The New Tide faction reportedly worked with supporters of former Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) to secure three seats on the Central Standing Committee. While Tsai's faction prioritized working with the Su and Chen Ting-fei factions, it would have sought a second Central Standing Committee seat had it had votes to spare.
Although Chen Ting-fei's faction currently holds one seat on the Central Standing Committee, its influence could increase if Chen wins the 2026 Tainan mayoral election. Under DPP rules, DPP mayors and county magistrates serve as ex officio members of the Central Standing Committee.
