Vorlage:Merge from Vorlage:Infobox political party
The New Reform Party (Vorlage:Lang-ko) is a South Korean political party jointly led by Lee Jun-seok, the former leader of the People Power Party (PPP), and Lee Nak-yon, former Prime Minister of South Korea. While initially founded by Lee Jun-seok as a conservative party after his split from the PPP, it has subsequently merged with various parties and factions led by politicians formerly affiliated with the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Justice Party.
History
The founding congress of the New Reform Party was held on 20 January 2024.[1] At the founding congress, the intention was emphasized to create a "third force", which would include the New Reform Party, to oppose the Democratic Party and the PPP. The new party expressed its readiness to create coalitions.[2] The party is led by former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok and the conservative Kim Yong-nam is the party's policy committee chief.[2]
On 24 January 2024, Yang Hyang-ja's Hope of Korea merged into the New Reform Party ahead of the April 10 parliamentary election.[3] On February 9, it was announced that the party, along with New Future Party, would merge to create the Reform Party, with the new party being led by Lee Jun-seok and Lee Nak-yon.[4]
On 20 February 2024, Lee Nak-yon and his New Future Party announced their withdrawal from the merger with the New Reform Party. Kim Jong-min, an assemblyman close to Lee, also left the party to rejoin Lee's New Future Party.[5]
Ideology
Initially, the New Reform Party mainly consisted of moderate conservatives centred around Lee Jun-seok, joined by centrists formerly affiliated with the Bareunmirae Party.[6] However, after consecutive mergers with other parties and factions, it has morphed into a big tent party composed of members from different backgrounds. Because its various factions were merged to form a centrist block ahead of the 2024 South Korean parliamentary elections, party members remain sharply divided along ideological lines.[7] Original members are said to be particularly furious about two former female left-wing Justice Party politicians, Ryu Ho-jeong, a prominent feminist politician, and Bae Bok-ju, who supports disabled people's transit interruption protests which many original members including Lee himself disagree with. Lee announced that Ryu and Bae won't be able to become the mainstream voice of the party.[8]
References
Vorlage:South Korean political parties Vorlage:SouthKorea-party-stub
- ↑ New political party launched in S.Korea ahead of April's general election | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News. In: NHK WORLD. Abgerufen am 14. Februar 2024 (englisch).
- ↑ a b New Reform Party Launches with Former PPP Chief Lee Jun-seok as its Chief. In: world.kbs.co.kr. Abgerufen am 14. Februar 2024 (englisch).
- ↑ 이준석 개혁신당-양향자 한국의희망 ‘합당’…제3지대 연대 본격화. In: 동아일보. 24. Januar 2024, abgerufen am 14. Februar 2024 (koreanisch).
- ↑ Yonhap: Smaller political powers agree to merge into new party ahead of general elections. In: The Korea Herald. 9. Februar 2024, abgerufen am 14. Februar 2024 (englisch).
- ↑ [바로이뉴스] "다시 새로운미래로 돌아간다"…11일 만에 결별 선언한 이낙연. In: 언론사 뷰. Abgerufen am 21. Februar 2024.
- ↑ 여야 정치인 12명, 5일 개혁신당 합류…지원사격 나선 양향자. In: 서울경제. 4. Januar 2024, abgerufen am 14. Februar 2024 (koreanisch).
- ↑ Doubts remain over 'big tent' party's ability to work together. In: koreatimes. 12. Februar 2024, abgerufen am 14. Februar 2024 (englisch).
- ↑ 이준석 “류호정·배복주 개혁신당 주류 못될 것”. In: 세계일보. 15. Februar 2024, abgerufen am 16. Februar 2024 (koreanisch).