Taiwan’s KMT party names new chief
Print Edition
TAIWAN’S ruling Kuomintang party yesterday appointed a new chairman in the hope of reversing its fortunes after its worst-ever local election setback.
Ma Ying-jeou, the island’s leader, resigned as chief of the Kuomintang over the election defeat in November.
Rising star Eric Chu, the mayor of New Taipei City, stood unopposed for the leadership and won with 196,065 votes, or 99.6 percent of the total cast by party members.
He will formally take the reins tomorrow.
“The KMT will not be destroyed. The KMT will rise again as long as we ... always stand by the people’s side,” Chu said last week at a party event surrounded by supporters.
Chu was the only KMT politician who won in Taiwan’s six large municipalities to maintain his position as New Taipei mayor.
The victory propelled him forward as the party’s next leader — and possible candidate for Taiwan’s next leader.
He has ruled out running for the post next year to focus on the mayoralty, but is seen as a strong contender for future leadership. Ma will step down next year after serving the maximum two terms.
Seen as clean and prudent, Chu has said the KMT’s exchanges with the mainland would not be suspended.
Chu has served as a lawmaker and vice premier, but has a tough road ahead as party leader.
“Chu’s challenges are to unite the party and reform its image so the KMT has a chance of maintaining its majority” in the legislative body ... and not losing too terribly in the leadership race in 2016, said Joseph Cheng, a Taiwan expert at Hong Kong’s City University.
“He made a smart choice not to run in 2016 as it’s hard for the KMT to win. He’s young and can run in 2020 or after.”
The opposition Democratic Progressive Party had its best ever performance in the local polls and is widely tipped to win the leadership next year.
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