Focus Taiwan
Date: 01/15/2020
By: Yu Hsiang, Yeh Chen and Chiang Yi-ching\

Taipei, Jan. 15 (CNA) Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) resigned Wednesday effective immediately, amid heated protests outside the headquarters by younger party members calling for reform following the party's crushing defeat in the Jan. 11 elections.

The KMT's presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) lost by nearly 20 percent to incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in the presidential election, and the party took only 38 of the 113 legislative seats. Although that performance represented an increase of three seats and 6 percent more ballots in the party vote, it was still far below the majority Wu had vowed to achieve.

To shoulder responsibility for the failure, Wu and other top-ranking party members resigned en masse. Those resigning included the party Vice Chairman and Secretary General Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權), and Vice Chairman and former Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌).

KMT Deputy Secretary-General Tu Chien-teh (杜建德) and acting Director-General of the KMT's Cultural and Communications Committee Cheng Mei-hua (程美華) also resigned with Wu at the party Central Standing Committee meeting held that day.    [FULL  STORY]