His son, Edhie Baskoro (Ibas), who is the party`s secretary general officially opened the meeting held after the party`s former general chairman, Anas Urbaningrum, resigned following his naming as a suspect in a corruption case by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
President Yudhyono who is the party`s supreme council chairman was not seen at the meeting although he has stayed at Inna Bali Beach Hotel where the meeting was held several hours before the opening at 2pm.
In his speech Ibas admitted that the party`s electability has dropped after a number of the party cadres were involved in legal cases.
He said President Yudhoyono who is also the chairman of the advisory board has already taken efforts to immediately improve the conditions.
Ibas said that other parties also faced problems but focus has so far been put on the Democrat Party so that the party seemed to be the only part that had problems.
He said "efforts would be taken to assure that democracy works in the meeting and consensus which is also part of democracy could be found."
He hoped the Democrat Party would become a clean and smart party so that it would be successful in the general elections in 2014.
The meeting was attended by board members from 497 districts/cities and 33 provinces, central executive board members, members of the honorary and supervisory councils and wing organizations.
reporting by Budi Setiawanto; editing by Yoseph Hariyadi
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
