鄉鎮市改制對地方派系之影響：以臺中縣市合併升格為例

Abstract

由於民進黨籍立委提案修法將鄉鎮市一律改制為「區」，區長由縣長指定官派，引發贊成、反對兩方激烈爭辯。而地方派系在地方政治上扮演著非常重要的角色，鄉鎮市改制為區此一重要的制度變革勢必對地方派系亦將造成一定程度的影響。再者，傳統上原台中縣即是台灣地方派系非常具有代表性的發生地，臺中縣市合併升格後，目前臺中市成為六都之一，又歷經國民黨、民進黨輪流執政，這些派系所把持的系統是否亦可能被收歸於執政市府之中，不無疑問。 本研究試圖以地方派系角度切入探討鄉鎮市改制此一議題，並以臺中縣市合併升格為例，予以檢視改制對於當地地方派系之影響，藉以了解臺中縣合併升格將鄉鎮市長改制為官派之後，對當地地方派系在選舉動員上所可能造成之影響，以及了解地方派系目前趨勢及未來發展又為何？並採取文獻分析法與半結構式深度訪談法作為研究方法。 研究結果發現，第一個部分關於「改制對於派系動員網絡的影響」方面：1.鄉鎮市長改制為官派區長之具體表現為(1)派系最大樁腳(原鄉鎮市長)之角色變換(從「議題設定者」轉變為「政策執行者」)(2)地方行政資源主控權限由公所轉移至市府，以致於公所之行政效率及反應力減弱。2.改制造成派系動員網絡之鬆動，並使市長有各個擊破的契機。3.市長已有市長個人主義等派系現象，更藉由第三勢力予以鞏固；第二個部分關於「改制對於派系與政黨間關係的影響」方面：1.目前派系並沒有向民進黨整個靠攏的現象出現。2.原縣區派系內部凝聚力強，並主要是與國民黨結合及運作；第三個部分關於「大台中地區地方派系的變化情形」方面：1.改制後，原市區派系早已式微，原縣區派系的組織系統仍存續著。2.縣市合併升格後，派系運作模式上的明顯變化為(1)其實原臺中市可說本來就沒有派系了，而原臺中縣的派系最明顯的變化就是形式上藉由國民黨黨團的外殼來運作，然而實際運作上仍以派系為基礎(2)派系內關係已從檯面上轉為檯面下的關係(3)派系運作只在區域適中的市議員選舉層級較為顯著。3.地方派系的存在對地方政治的發展仍是以負面影響較多；第四個部分關於「改制對於派系在地方基層選舉的影響」方面：1.派系在市長選舉中只剩部分影響力，在里長選舉部分則成為派系與市長之影響力的角力戰。2.派系在市議員選舉中較能發揮影響力，並侷限於原縣區。

In 2016, legislators of the Democratic Progressive Party proposed to amend the laws to simplify Taiwan’s third-level administrative subdivisions. If the bill passes, the urban townships(zhèn), rural townships(xiāng) and county-administered cities(xiànxiáshì) will all be recognized as “districts.” The district governors, which are currently elected officials, will now be appointed instead by their respective county magistrates. This raises heated debates from both sides. Local factions play a very important role in local politics. This important institutional change is bound to have a certain degree of impact on the complex local factions. Moreover, the former Taichung County was a archetypal hotbed of Taiwan’s local factions. After the municipal upgrade, Taichung has become one of Taiwan’s six special municipalities, and has been governed alternately by the Kuomintang and the Democratic Progressive Party. Whether the power dynamic among these factions can successfully be co-opted into the local governments, remains to be seen. This study attempts to explore the issue of Transforming Townships into Districts in the perspective of local factions. Taking the merger and municipal upgrade of Taichung County as an example, the impact of the review and reform on local factions will be examined. In order to understand that after the merger and municipal upgrade of Taichung County, the originally elected county governors became appointed official. the local factions may have an impact on election mobilization. We also aim to understand the current trends and future development of local factions. Research methods include literature analysis and semi-structured deep interviews. Regarding the first part, 'the impact of Transforming Townships into Districts on the mobilization network of factions,' the study found: 1.The specific performance of the township mayor reformed as the official district head is (1)The role change (From 'proposal setter' to 'policy enforcer') of the biggest foot of the faction (the former township mayor) (2) The authority for the control of local administrative resources is transferred from the public office to the municipal government, so that the administrative efficiency and responsiveness of the public office are weakened. 2.Townships and towns have been transformed into a loosening of the mobilization network of the faction, and the mayor has various opportunities to break through. 3.The mayor has a faction such as the mayor’s individualism, and is further consolidated by the third force.Regarding the second part, 'the impact of Transforming Townships into Districts on the relationship between factions and political parties':1. At present, local factions have not seen the phenomenon of moving closer to the DPP. 2. The original faction of Taichung County has strong internal cohesion and mainly to integrate and operate with the Kuomintang.Regarding the third part, 'changes in local factions in the Taichung area': 1. After Transforming Townships into Districts, the original factions of Taichung City remain strong. The organization system of the original factions of Taichung County is still intact. 2. After the merger of the county and city, the apparent change in the operation mode of the faction is (1) In fact, the original Taichung City can be said that there is no faction.The most obvious change in the original Taichung County faction was the formal operation of the Kuomintang clan, but the actual operation was still based on factions.(2)The relationship within the faction has changed from the relationship on the table to the relationship under the table.(3)The faction operation is only prominent in the City councillor election level. 3.The existence of local factions still has a negative impact on the development of local politics.The fourth part is about 'the impact of Transforming Townships into Districts on factional elections at local grassroots elections': 1.The faction has only a part of the influence in the mayoral election. In the chief election section, it becomes the wrestling force of the influence of the faction and the mayor. 2.The faction is more influential in the election of the city councilors and is limited to the original Taichung County.