Heo Eun-ah’s leadership system for the Reform New Party, the challenge of overcoming the limitations of a ‘mini party’

Heo Eun-ah Elected as Reform Party Leader…Self-Declared as ‘Second Lee Jun-seok’
Will Focus on Local Elections to Create a President of New Party
Drawing a Line for the Ruling Party after the General Election Loss…Attention on 22nd Assembly Activities,

[Seoul=Newsis] Reporter Kwon Chang-hoe = Heo Eun-ah, a candidate for the Reform Party leader, receives a congratulatory hug from former leader Lee Jun-seok after being elected as the party leader at the convention held at the National Assembly Member’s Office in Yeouido, Seoul on the 19th. 2024.05.19. [email protected],
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, “[Seoul=Newsis] Reporter Ha Ji-hyun = The Reform Party elected former lawmaker Heo Eun-ah as the party leader for a term of two years. The ‘mini party’ Reform Party, which failed to secure more than three seats in the 22nd general election, has yet to clearly demonstrate its presence amid opposition from larger parties. Heo, as the party leader, is seen as prioritizing strategies for survival in the 22nd Assembly and expanding its support base.”,
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, ‘On that day, the Reform Party held a plenary meeting at the National Assembly Member’s Office in Yeouido, Seoul, and elected Heo Eun-ah as the party leader with a final vote share of 38.38%. Lee Ki-in (35.34%), Jo Dae-won (11.48%), and Jeon Sung-kyun (9.86%), who ranked 2nd to 4th, were appointed as chief members.’,
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, “The elected Heo has been active as part of the ‘Chun Ah Young’ group, which consists of figures associated with the Yoon Suk-yeol camp and the Lee Jun-seok camp. She declared in her acceptance speech on the day, “I will become a party leader like Lee Jun-seok. I will be a leader who demonstrates through actions, behaviors, and results.” Pronouncing to become the ‘Second Lee Jun-seok’.”,
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, ‘She also stated, “I set ‘a person who will make a president’ as the slogan for this party leadership election” and pledged, “It is a historic responsibility that must be fulfilled in order to move towards a ruling party. I will definitely give birth to a Reform Party president.”‘,
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, ‘Although the Reform Party continues to criticize the Yoon Suk-yeol government and self-identify as the opposition, it has not garnered much public attention during legislative processes due to being overshadowed by the Democratic Party and the Patriots Party.’,
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, “While boasting an image of a ‘young party,’ there are interests in exploring survival strategies through differentiation from the major parties. Some question whether Lee Jun-seok will eventually return to the ruling camp.”,
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, ‘According to a poll conducted by RealMeter on behalf of Energy Economy newspaper on May 9-10, surveying 1,002 eligible voters aged 18 and older nationwide over two days, the Reform Party’s approval rating remained at 4.1%, a 1.3 percentage point decrease from the previous week.’,
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, ‘Although the party saw a revival with the election of former leader Lee Jun-seok in a local constituency, establishing an independent presence with a unique message and strategy in the 22nd Assembly is crucial to laying the groundwork for a ruling party.’,
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, ‘Political commentator Lee Kang-hoon pointed out that although the Reform Party claims to represent the “broad opposition,” its political weight within the opposition is not significant.’,
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, ‘In a conversation with Newsis, he remarked, “The most significant issue is how the dominant opposition parties such as the Democratic Party and the Patriots Party will lead the next National Assembly.” He criticized, “As the Reform Party is not a crucial element in negotiations, its level of attention is relatively low.”‘,
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, ‘Regarding the possibility of collaboration with the ruling party in the future, he remarked, “As long as Lee Jun-seok remains, the likelihood seems almost non-existent,” and speculated, “Establishing a party based on anti-Yoon Suk-yeol sentiment, the foundation for existence could crumble.”‘,
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, “Another limitation is seen in the lack of a clear figure besides former leader Lee Jun-seok to expand their support base. It is also questionable whether alliances with lawmakers like Jo Eung-cheon, Lee Won, and Yang Hyang-ja were formed based on political leanings. In the future, the biggest challenge seems to be moving beyond the image of the ‘Lee Jun-seok party’ and demonstrating an independent presence.”,
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, ‘Political commentator Lee Jong-hoon emphasized, “Ultimately, the most important thing is the actions of former leader Lee Jun-seok.” He noted, “He has already declared that he will focus on the local elections. This is to organize and prepare for the presidential election in 2027.”‘,
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, ‘He further mentioned, “People like Heo Eun-ah, the newly elected party leader, should declare their intention to become the second Lee Jun-seok.” He predicted, “They need to gain as much fame and influence as former leader Lee Jun-seok through strong messaging and skills for the ruling party to become viable.”‘,
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[Seoul=Newsis] Reporter Kwon Chang-hoe = Heo Eun-ah, a candidate for the Reform Party leader, giving an acceptance speech after being elected as the party leader at the convention held at the National Assembly Member’s Office in Yeouido, Seoul on the 19th. 2024.05.19. [email protected],
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