People First Party (PFP)
In the 2000 presidential election, former KMT provincial governor James Soong 宋楚瑜, running as an independent, lost by less than three percentage points to DPP's Chen Shui-bian. In fact, Soong's vote far exceeded that received by KMT candidate Lien Chan. Immediately after the election, Soong's supporters called on him to form a new party. Eventually, the People First Party (PFP) was established, attracting many KMT and NP lawmakers. In an unprecedented move, the PFP opened its membership to citizens 16 years of age, two years younger than the minimum age required by other parties. It is now the third largest party after the DPP and the KMT in the Legislative Yuan.
According to the party charter, the highest policy-making body is the National Council 全國委員會, which consists of current or former officeholders in the executive or legislative branches of the government (at either national or local levels), current or former party officials, and representatives from different sectors of society. This council elects a Central Executive Committee comprised of 21 members and 7 alternate members, each of whom serves for a two-year term. Every two years, all party members directly elect the party chairman.
James Soong was elected the first PFP chairman. The PFP now claims a registered membership of nearly 120,000.
