Heightening speculation about a possible presidential run, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) dropped hints yesterday saying that she was “seriously and rationally” considering a bid.
“I know that the hopes of many people are pinned on my back,” she told Wealth Magazine in an interview. “I hope that [in making] this decision it will be because I have made the necessary preparations and have the abilities to take on this burden.”
“I am seriously and rationally thinking about this [decision],” she said.
The candid interview, the first time in recent weeks that Tsai has broken her silence on the -possibility of a presidential campaign, comes after former president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said on Monday that she would vie for the DPP ticket for next year’s election.
Tsai, in the interview, refused to directly answer questions as to whether she would be willing to run against President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) next year, but said that she would give the same amount of consideration to the issue as when she chose to run for party chairperson in 2008.
“Before other people start judging me, I need to judge myself,” she said. “This decision should not be based on [my own] political career, but on the type of leader Taiwan needs for the next one or two generations — and whether I fulfill these needs.”
However, Tsai also said that she believes Taiwan needs a “next generation leader.”
There needs to be a new force in politics, she said, one that can give the public a sense of security and the younger generation “a glimpse of their future.”
“Taiwan no longer needs political strongmen. We are choosing a national leader and not a celebrity,” she said. “Good leaders need to have strong abilities and careful consideration.”
Tsai has been hesitant to speak about the DPP’s upcoming presidential nominations in the past two weeks, saying that she prefers to wait at least until the two legislative by-elections in southern Taiwan end on Saturday.
DPP officials revealed that Tsai planned to meet with other presidential hopefuls, including Lu and former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), as well as senior party politicians after Saturday when the by-elections end.
“The group will exchange opinions and attempt to forge a consensus” on the presidential nominations, DPP spokesperson Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) said. “The DPP hopes that the primaries can be reasonable and peaceful.”
There seems to be an increasing consensus that potential DPP contestants for next year’s presidential ticket will include Tsai, Su and Lu. Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), another former premier who has been keeping busy in DPP circles, is also seen as another possibility.
Tsai said she believed infighting would be kept to a minimum because most potential candidates share the same values and ideals.
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