Asia One
Oct 11, 2015
The producers of “House of Cards” could use some inspiration from the
(L to R) Eric Chu, chairman of Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang (KMT), Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and James Soong, chairman of the opposition People First Party (PFP) attend a National Day ceremony in front of the presidential palace in Taipei on October 10, 2015. Photo: AFP
ruling Kuomintang’s “House of Farce” if they ever wanted to add a dash of absurdity to the political drama franchise.
The last time the KMT saw a major open conflict among its ranks was an ugly power struggle between the party-picked candidate Lien Chan and James Soong, a hugely popular figure who stood a much better chance of winning the election in the 2000 presidential race.
But the latest conflict is less about a struggle for power than for survival. Underlying the farcical development is a strong sense of desperation to keep the Titanic from sinking.
The climax of the drama is clearly misplaced: It will climax with the KMT replacing its unpopular presidential candidate, and from there it is going to be a continuation of the struggle until the much-expected downfall. No surprises. [FULL STORY]
