The "Grand Reconciliation Coffee" Opportunism: Trading Core Ideology for Parliamentary Power with the New Party

After the 1995 election, then-DPP Chairman Shih Ming-teh sought to join forces with the staunchly anti-independence "New Party" to challenge the KMT''s control over the Legislative Yuan. On December 14, they shared the famous "Grand Reconciliation Coffee" to discuss a coalition government. This move, trading the DPP''s core "Independence Platform" for temporary political positions, exposed the party''s extreme opportunism. It proved that in the face of absolute power, even the most fundamental political beliefs and national identity can become chips for a backroom deal.