ID :
189026
Thu, 06/16/2011 - 13:18
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/189026
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Referendum on free school lunches is being acutely watched
SEOUL (Yonhap) - The controversy over an opposition-initiated project to provide free lunches to all elementary school students in Seoul has finally become an issue to be decided on by a residents' vote, after a coalition of conservative civic groups formally demanded Thursday that the Seoul city government hold a residents' referendum to block the move which they say is a "populist" campaign to win votes.
The project of offering free school lunches, initiated by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), has become a hot political issue since last year as Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has expressed opposition against the ordinance passed by the DP-dominated Seoul City Council.
Despite strong opposition from Mayor Oh, who is affiliated with the ruling Grand National Party (GNP), the city council passed the ordinance last December and started offering the free lunches in March.
Since early this year, a coalition of 160 conservative civic groups, named the National Anti-Populism Union, has been in preparations to ask the city to hold the residents' referendum to block the free lunch project, claiming the project overlooks the financial burden on taxpayers in Seoul.
So far, about 800,000 residents in Seoul have signed up to hold the referendum vote, according to the coalition, though just 418,000 signatures are required to hold the residents' referendum. A poll is expected to be held in the fourth week of August after a preparatory period of about three weeks, Seoul city officials said.
Mayor Oh welcomed the civic groups' move, which comes as even the ruling GNP has signaled a shift toward populist policies, including calls for college tuition cuts, as the party faces dwindling popularity following defeats in April's by-elections.
The residents' referendum on free school lunches "could put an end to debates on whether we need more populist policies," Oh said.
However, the prospects for a poll on free lunches are still uncertain because ballot counting will not occur unless one-third of the 8.36 million eligible voters in Seoul participate.
The outcome of the referendum, regardless of the winner, will have a great impact on national politics.
If the coalition wins the referendum, Oh, one of the potential contenders for next year's presidential election, will be given a green light in his challenge to become a presidential candidate.
If he loses, Oh will face pressure to resign as mayor, or at best, he will have a hard time fulfilling his duties during the remainder of his tenure.
The city council and the mayor of Seoul are criticized for failing to settle the controversy and lacking political capability, which will eventually lead to a waste of money and administrative manpower to carry out the referendum.
The project of offering free school lunches, initiated by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), has become a hot political issue since last year as Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has expressed opposition against the ordinance passed by the DP-dominated Seoul City Council.
Despite strong opposition from Mayor Oh, who is affiliated with the ruling Grand National Party (GNP), the city council passed the ordinance last December and started offering the free lunches in March.
Since early this year, a coalition of 160 conservative civic groups, named the National Anti-Populism Union, has been in preparations to ask the city to hold the residents' referendum to block the free lunch project, claiming the project overlooks the financial burden on taxpayers in Seoul.
So far, about 800,000 residents in Seoul have signed up to hold the referendum vote, according to the coalition, though just 418,000 signatures are required to hold the residents' referendum. A poll is expected to be held in the fourth week of August after a preparatory period of about three weeks, Seoul city officials said.
Mayor Oh welcomed the civic groups' move, which comes as even the ruling GNP has signaled a shift toward populist policies, including calls for college tuition cuts, as the party faces dwindling popularity following defeats in April's by-elections.
The residents' referendum on free school lunches "could put an end to debates on whether we need more populist policies," Oh said.
However, the prospects for a poll on free lunches are still uncertain because ballot counting will not occur unless one-third of the 8.36 million eligible voters in Seoul participate.
The outcome of the referendum, regardless of the winner, will have a great impact on national politics.
If the coalition wins the referendum, Oh, one of the potential contenders for next year's presidential election, will be given a green light in his challenge to become a presidential candidate.
If he loses, Oh will face pressure to resign as mayor, or at best, he will have a hard time fulfilling his duties during the remainder of his tenure.
The city council and the mayor of Seoul are criticized for failing to settle the controversy and lacking political capability, which will eventually lead to a waste of money and administrative manpower to carry out the referendum.
