A poll finding suggests that to fend off the KMT in Taipei, President Tsai Ing-wen’s DPP would benefit from running its own candidate rather than backing the incumbent mayor.
The News Lens
Date: 2018/04/27
By: Courtney Donovan Smith (石東文)
Photo Credit: 柯文哲
Taiwan’s ruling party is engaged in an internal debate on whether to back a candidate in this year’s election for mayor of the nation’s capital, Taipei City. President and Democratic Party Chairwoman Tsai Ying-wen (蔡英文) and top party officials are coming under increasing pressure from local Taipei City politicians and supporters to choose a candidate.
On April 22, over 10,000 protested, calling on the party to nominate DPP Legislator Pasuya Yao (姚文智). The march was backed by some prominent DPP politicians and over 90 percent of the city’s DPP city councilors.
And yet, with the clock ticking on the November election, Tsai dithers.
In the last local elections in 2014 the then-ruling Kuomintang (KMT) were swept from power across the nation, only barely holding on to one major city and a few very small local governments. The DPP swept most races, but looking weak in Taipei the party backed the blunt-speaking, political neophyte independent candidacy of surgeon Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), who went on to a stunning win. Doctor Ko, nicknamed “Ko P,” poached supporters from all parties, including the KMT – the party that with few exceptions dominated the city for generations. [FULL STORY]