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Taiwan’s President Resigning as Party Chief After Election Losses Taiwan’s President Resigning as Party Chief After Election Losses
(about 5 hours later)
HONG KONG — President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan will step down Wednesday as chairman of the governing party, the Kuomintang, following its crushing defeat in local elections, the party announced Tuesday. HONG KONG — President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan will step down on Wednesday as chairman of the governing party, the Kuomintang, following its crushing defeat in local elections, the party announced Tuesday.
Mr. Ma, who is more than halfway through his final four-year term, will formally announce the decision Wednesday at a meeting of the party’s standing committee, the Kuomintang said. Mr. Ma, who is more than halfway through his final four-year term, will formally announce the decision at a meeting of the party’s standing committee, the Kuomintang said.
“Facing such an unprecedented defeat, as party chairman I am willing to carry the greatest blame,” Mr. Ma said in a statement issued by the party. “I am not reluctant to give up this post. What I truly care about is what’s best for the Kuomintang.”“Facing such an unprecedented defeat, as party chairman I am willing to carry the greatest blame,” Mr. Ma said in a statement issued by the party. “I am not reluctant to give up this post. What I truly care about is what’s best for the Kuomintang.”
The Kuomintang suffered heavy losses in voting for more than 11,000 local government posts on Saturday, leaving it in control of just six of Taiwan’s 22 counties and municipalities; it had previously controlled 15 of them. The losses, which prompted the resignation of Prime Minister Jiang Yi-huah, included the capital, Taipei, and Taichung, both important party strongholds. The Kuomintang suffered heavy losses in voting for more than 11,000 local government posts on Saturday, leaving it in control of just six of Taiwan’s 22 counties and municipalities; it had previously controlled 15 of them. The losses, which prompted the resignation of Prime Minister Jiang Yi-huah, were in districts including the capital, Taipei, and Taichung, both important party strongholds.
The opposition Democratic Progressive Party, or D.P.P., took control of 13 municipalities and counties, including four of Taiwan’s largest cities. Ko Wen-je, a surgeon, won the Taipei mayor’s race as an independent but had the support of the D.P.P. The victories by the party and its allies suggest it could have a strong chance of winning the presidency in 2016. The opposition Democratic Progressive Party took control of 13 municipalities and counties, including four of Taiwan’s largest cities. Ko Wen-je, a surgeon, won the Taipei mayor’s race as an independent but had the support of the Demcratic Progressives. The victories by the party and its allies suggest that it could have a strong chance of winning the presidency in 2016.
The Kuomintang’s defeat in Saturday’s electionss was expected, as Mr. Ma had been in power for more than six years and had seen his popularity hit stark lows over the past year. But many political analysts expressed surprise at the magnitude of the losses. The Kuomintang’s defeat in Saturday’s electionss was expected, as Mr. Ma had been in power for more than six years and had seen his popularity reach stark lows over the past year. But many political analysts expressed surprise at the magnitude of the losses.
Voters were concerned about housing costs, the gap between rich and poor, food safety scandals and government transparency, analysts said. They said the Kuomintang probably was also hurt by Mr. Ma’s pursuit of closer economic ties with China, which has many in Taiwan worried about the increasing influence of Beijing, which considers the self-governing island part of its territory. Voters were concerned about housing costs, the gap between the rich and the poor, food safety scandals and government transparency, analysts said. They said the Kuomintang was probably also hurt by Mr. Ma’s pursuit of closer economic ties with China, which has many in Taiwan worried about the increasing influence of Beijing, which considers the self-governing island part of its territory.