Trees Party
{{more citations needed|date=June 2018}}
{{update|reason=Its registration as political party has been revoked|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox political party
| colorcode = #73BF00
| foundation = {{Start date and age|2014|8|10|df=y}}
| ideology = {{nowrap|Environmentalism}}
Youth activism
Social democracy
| headquarters = Taipei, Taiwan
| website = {{URL|http://www.treesparty.tw|www.treesparty.tw}}
| country = Taiwan
| name = Trees Party{{citation|url=http://treesparty.tw/node/182|title=Trees Party Constitution|publisher=Trees Party|language=Chinese}}
| native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|zh-tw|樹黨}}}}
Shù Dǎng (Mandarin)
Su Tóng (Hakka)
|logo = TWN Tree Party Emblem.svg
|logo_size = 160px
| leader1_title = Chairperson (joint)
| leader1_name = Sheng I-che
Chiu Hsin-hui
| position = Centre-left
|international = Global Greens
| seats1_title = Legislative Yuan
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|0|113|hex=73BF00}}
| seats2_title = Municipal Mayoralties
| seats2 = {{Composition bar|0|6|hex=73BF00}}
| seats3_title = City Mayoralties and County Magistracies
| seats3 = {{Composition bar|0|16|hex=73BF00}}
| seats4_title = Local Councillors
| seats4 = {{Composition bar|0|912|hex=73BF00}}
| seats5_title = Township Chiefs
| seats5 = {{Composition bar|0|204|hex=73BF00}}
}}
The Trees Party ({{zh|t=樹黨|p=Shù Dǎng|poj=Chhiū Tóng}}) was a minor political party in Taiwan. The core ideology of the party was environmentalism, and it was commonly identified as a "third force" party belonging to neither the Pan-Blue or Pan-Green Coalitions.{{citation|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2015/05/18/2003618560|title=Belle Yu draws DPP's eye|author=Loa Iok-sin|date=18 May 2015|publisher=Taipei Times}} The party was formed in 2014 as a splinter group of the Green Party Taiwan{{citation|title=2014 ELECTIONS: Smaller parties clinch big victories|publisher=Taipei Times|author1-link=Lii Wen|author=Lii Wen|date=December 2014|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2014/12/01/2003605715}} by brothers Pan Han-sheng and Pan Han-chiang.{{citation|title=Tree Party aims to speak for trees, wildlife, youth|author=Loa Iok-sin|date=8 September 2014|publisher=Taipei Times|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2014/09/08/2003599270}}
History
In 2014 Pan Han-sheng, one of the "stars" of the Green Party Taiwan (GPT), left the fold to start a new party, the Trees Party with his brother, Pan Han-chiang, a development described as "damaging" to the GPT.{{citation|url=https://blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/chinapolicyinstitute/2014/11/24/the-battle-for-third-place-prospects-for-taiwans-small-parties-in-its-november-local-elections/|title=The battle for third place: Prospects for Taiwan's small parties in local elections|author=Dafydd Fell|date=24 November 2014}} Despite this, the Green Party Taiwan responded to the announcement of the formation of the Trees Party by "welcoming their strong stance on the protection of trees".{{citation|url=http://www.coolloud.org.tw/node/80012|newspaper=苦勞網|title=綠黨聲明：關於綠黨黨員另組樹黨一事|date=6 September 2014|language=Chinese}} While several articles in the English-language media refer to the party as the "Tree Party", the formal English name as stated in the constitution is the "Trees Party".
In April 2020 the Trees Party was given notification by the Ministry of Interior of its disbandment.{{cite news |title=Ministry drops delinquent political parties from list |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2020/04/30/2003735554 |accessdate=22 October 2020 |work=Taipei Times |date=20 April 2020}}
Platform
There are six core policy positions articulated in the party constitution: environmental stewardship, social justice, upholding participatory democracy, pacifism, sustainable development, and respect for diversity. The constitution also commits the party to "defending trees and Mother Earth from human greed and ignorance".
The party sees its mission as:
- Increasing public awareness of the global environmental crisis, with political action proposed as the main solution
- Nominating candidates to participate in elections
- Proposing public policy
- Providing educational programs and publications and encouraging citizen participation
- Promoting exchanges and cooperation between domestic and foreign political groups and local environmental groups
- Other matters to promote an environment conducive to political development
Electoral performance
In the November 2014 9-in-1 elections the party won one seat in the Yilan County council.{{citation|title=2014 Local Elections - Yilan County|publisher=Central Election Commission|url=http://vote2014.cec.gov.tw/en/W2/m708000000000000.html}} In the race for the Taipei City Council, the party polled 2.1% of the total votes cast, winning no seats.{{citation|publisher=Central Election Commission|url=http://vote2014.cec.gov.tw/en/PT/m100000000000000.html|title=2014 Local Elections - Taipei City Municipal Councilor Election}} In the same set of elections, the party won one mayoral race, for Jiji Township in Nantou County.{{citation|title=2014 Local Elections - Jiji Township|url=http://vote2014.cec.gov.tw/en/TD/nm704010500000000.html|publisher=Central Election Commission}} The mayor resigned from the party on 24 June 2015.{{cite web|url=http://treesparty.tw/2016/04/22/jijimayor/|title=樹黨對於集集鎮長陳紀衡過度修剪老榕樹之聲明 - 樹黨|publisher=}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Taiwanese political parties}}
Category:2014 establishments in Taiwan
Category:Green political parties
Category:Environmentalism in Taiwan
Category:Progressive parties in Taiwan
Category:Taiwanese nationalist political parties
Category:Political parties in Taiwan