Ahn Cheol-soo’s decision to leave the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy and create his own political party is bad for himself, the opposition and Korean politics as a whole.
Ahn’s desertion from the NPAD, of which he once was a joint leader, is another typical case of the opportunism that he is now famous for. He said he was leaving the party because he was short on capability and power to change the minds of those with vested interests and those who were content with the status quo.
Ahn said he was creating a new political group on his own because the NPAD could not achieve its mission of ending the rule of the Saenuri Party. Obviously, he was justifying his choice — taking the easier option of walking out of the party he once touted as a force to achieve political reforms and take power from conservatives, instead of facing reform of the NPAD head on.
Ahn is well known for this kind of retreat and withdrawal. Riding on his public image as a fresh and clean politician, the former medical doctor and computer mogul was catapulted into the political limelight ahead of the 2011 by-election for Seoul mayor. But in the name of unifying liberal candidacies, he conceded nomination to Park Won-soon. The next year, he withdrew from the presidential nomination race and supported Moon Jae-in, now the NPAD leader.
Then he merged his fledgling political group with the main opposition party, taking its coleadership post. He stepped down from the post in just five months, taking responsibility for successive election defeats. All these show that Ahn is not a charismatic, strong leader who can take on any challenge and wrestle what he wants, even risking a fight.
Ahn said that he was now stepping into a “wilderness, all alone,” to end rule by the conservative Saenuri Party and engage in “politics for the people.” All politicians who change their party affiliation or create a new party chant about new politics and politics for the people. But it is doubtful that Ahn will be able to build a political force that is different from the traditional parties, and most of all, that can be something to be reckoned with.
As things stand, the man who was once favorite for president has lost so much of his political charm that he now even trails Moon and Mayor Park in polls for potential presidential candidates.
The NPAD expects that 10 to 30 lawmakers will follow Ahn and desert the NPAD. That will certainly strike a blow to the party, which had already been battered by severe internal feuding and increasing desertions.
With the leadership of party leader Moon floundering to unrecoverable levels, the NPAD will have to compete for liberal votes not only with Ahn’s group but also other smaller parties — including those headed by its former colleagues like former Justice Minister Chun Jung-bae and former South Jeolla Gov. Park Joon-yung.
The divisions in the liberal forces will definitely give the upper hand to the ruling party in the parliamentary elections scheduled for next April and the 2017 presidential poll.
Liberal forces will strive hard not to give the Saenuri Party such an upper hand. All in all, Ahn’s departure from the NPAD will set off a flurry of talks and moves regarding the realignment of political groups. Many of them will talk about new politics, unity and reform, but all we will see is the tiring and sickening pursuit of self-interest.
