Taiwanese politics change quickly and yesterday’s political stars become today’s political losers.
President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration knows this well, and so does the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Who would have imagined that after only 50 days in power, Ma’s public approval would drop from 58 percent at the time of the presidential election to about 30 percent now?
The inability of Premier Liu Chao-shiuan’s (劉兆玄) Cabinet to tackle rising consumer and oil prices and the freefalling stock market are only part of the reason for the public’s reaction. The key reason for the government’s loss of public support is Ma’s failure to deliver on his campaign promises.
Ma’s rise to perhaps the most popular politician in Taiwan was mainly a result of meeting the public’s taste in backing away from ideological rhetoric and framing himself as a gentle problem-solver.
But in reality, Ma is a consummate politician. He anticipates what people want to hear and tells the public whatever keeps them satisfied. The biggest question now is whether Ma is a man of action and efficiency.
Deja vu? The fact that the DPP was not defeated by Ma and his Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) but by itself deserves more attention. Once voters questioned its integrity and held its misconduct up against principles of honesty and morality, it was hard for the DPP to regain support.
Public distrust of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and the DPP led voters to place their hopes in Ma and the KMT because they believed the new government would bring immediate results. Its failure to meet expectations has naturally created a strong public backlash.
With the government’s poor performance, how can the DPP rebuild its image and regain public trust?
The DPP government’s biggest problem was it promised more than it could achieve. Sometimes the commitments were made dishonestly, and even worse was the misconduct associated with some DPP officials.
We all make mistakes, but the difference is that politicians’ mistakes make the front page. So politicians — good ones at least — develop an ability to recover from a foul-up.
Under the chairmanship of Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the DPP has displayed a different and more positive image. Not only has Tsai introduced a rational strategy for monitoring the KMT, she has also been carefully developing new skills of coordination and leadership within the party’s grassroot support.
A recent poll released by TVBS showed Tsai to be the most popular political figure in Taiwan, with a near 50 percent approval rating — compared with less than 30 percent for Ma and Liu.
What Tsai and the DPP need most is to incorporate elements of strength, self-discipline, decisiveness and effective execution to fulfill the role of a loyal opposition.
The power reshuffle at last weekend’s party congress showed some political wrestling between different factions and senior leaders, but the DPP should avoid pointing fingers. A re-examination must be conducted from the bottom up. A closer relationship between party headquarters, the legislative caucus and local party branches must be established. Most importantly, the DPP must reinforce its connection with the rank and file and recruit more independent and attractive talent.
By taking the theme of strength and unity and applying it to anti-corruption, economic rejuvenation, law enforcement, environmental protection and national security, the DPP can win back public support.
Liu Shih-chung is a Taipei-based political commentator.
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