What you need to know
After the KMT held an extempore party congress on October 7, the removal of KMT presidential candidate Hung Shiu-chu is about to reach a verdict. Chairman Chu Li-luan (also known as Eric Chu) points out the gap between Hung's cross-strait policies and those of the KMT. Hung doesn't agree with Chu's statement and hopes that the party can hold an inside discussion.
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After the KMT held an extempore party congress on October 7, the removal of KMT presidential candidate Hung Shiu-chu is about to reach a verdict. Chairman Chu Li-luan (also known as Eric Chu) points out the gap between Hung’s cross-strait policies and those of the KMT. Hung doesn’t agree with Chu’s statement and hopes that the party can hold an inside discussion. On October 8, President Ma Ying-jeou says he hopes Chu and Hung can communicate more and he will support the KMT’s decision.
On October 7, the KMT Central Standing Committee passed the proposal of 28 people requesting to hold an extempore party congress to discuss annulling Hung’s nomination and replacing her with Chu. Liberty Times reports, the KMT Central Standing Committee plans to convene on October 17 or 24.
ETtoday reports, President Ma states the KMT should come together in these times of hardship and demoralization. He says he admires Hung for stepping up when no one in the KMT would run in the presidential election six months ago. But he also hopes that Chu and Hung can communicate further and will support the decisions made by the party.
Liberty Times reports, Vice President Wu Den-yih says Chu has a strong sense of mission and he believes that any plans or decisions she makes is to bring the party together.
Apple Daily reports, former President Lee Teng-hui says the dispute has come out of the KMT not dealing with the situation well. The KMT should take this chance to show they have what it takes to survive. Hung is a member of the party and should abide the party regulations. The KMT should handle the situation by how it should be dealt with and Lee refuses to say more regarding the issue.
Yao Ren-duo, chairman of the Institute of Sociology at National Tsing-Hua University, said in an article published on Newtalk on October 6 that the falling out between Hung and Chu is the biggest farce in the history of Taiwan elections. Yao also says the only way for Hung to save herself is for her to go down with the party.
Yao writes that whether or not Hung will be replaced also depends on the politician’s mental state. If the KMT realizes that Hung is willing to take the whole party down, then the answer might be different. The situation will be insolvable if Hung is unwilling to step down as presidential candidate. Ma and Chu are known in the Taiwan political scene for keeping their hands clean. Based on past examples, both might stay away from people like Hung who refuse to back down.
But even so, Hung’s opinion polls will not soar, and defeating Chu doesn’t mean she has beaten Tsai Ing-wen (DPP presidential candidate). Yao says that if Hung isn’t replaced, the KMT will still lose. He says he sees a cowardly party chairman that wants to take over a presidential candidate that won’t accept her fate and Yao can almost hear the anguish of the KMT legislative candidates.
Translated by Olivia Yang
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