Editorial
Date: 2015-10-26

Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang nominated its chair, Eric Chu, to run in the 2016 presidential

Eric Chu and Hung Hsiu-chu shake hands as Hung is relieved of the KMT’s nomination at a party congress on Oct. 17. (File photo/CNA)

electoral contest last weekend after the party’s highest decision-making body rescinded its earlier nomination of Hung Hsiu-chu, the deputy speaker of the Legislative Yuan, because of her dismal showing in the polls.

The replacement drew ire from a large section of the party’s own supporters for breaching faith with Hung, with some even threatening not to vote in January’s presidential and legislative elections.

But according to the conventional rules of democratic politics, the KMT’s replacement of Hung is acceptable because the decision was made based on the principle of “give a little to gain a lot.” From an overall perspective, the main duty of political parties in a democratic nation is to gain power to fulfill their ideals.     [FULL  STORY]