In a related story, the DPP has confirmed the timetable for its presidential primaries, which will be based exclusively on opinion polls. A total of five polling institutes are scheduled to conduct surveys between the 25th and 29th of April. And the party will announce its official presidential nominee on May 4th.

In order to avoid accusations that she manipulated the process, DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen excused herself from the DPP Central Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday.

DPP legislative whip Ko Chien-ming and Central Standing Committee member Frank Hsieh presided over the meeting, and eventually decided that candidate registrations would be held between March 21st and March 25th.

Political conventions and other events will be held between March 31st and April 22nd, and public opinion polls will be conducted between April 25th and April 29th.

On May 4th, the CEC will announce the final candidate list based on the results of the polls. Former Vice President Annette Lu had hoped to exclude the DPP's poll center from the process, but the CEC decided against her.

The committee also went against her in its decision to finalize its at-large legislator list after confirming its presidential candidate.