The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) should nominate its own candidate for Taipei mayor this year instead of renewing its alliance with Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said yesterday.
Lu, who on Thursday announced that she was considering seeking the party’s nomination herself, said that siding with Ko again could cost the DPP the presidency in 2020.
During a radio interview yesterday, Lu said she was confident that she could win if nominated.
Photo: CNA
She had asked two national policy advisors to inform President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) two months ago of her intention to run, even before DPP Legislator Pasuya Yao (姚文智) announced his candidacy for the party’s nomination on Dec. 17 last year.
“No news [from Tsai] is good news,” Lu said. “I know how many things are on the mind of a chairperson. I am not in a rush. I am waiting for her [response] out of my deepest respect.”
Ko is neither a “white” third-force or a representative of the pan-green camp, she said.
If re-elected, Ko might create a “Yeltsin effect” and stop of the DPP from retaining the presidency in the 2020 election, Lu said.
The Yeltsin effect, named after former Russian president Boris Yeltsin, refers to a confrontation between a president and an immensely popular local leader.
While Ko is popular among young voters, the number of people aged 20 to 30 is about 2.21 million, Lu said, adding that the DPP should not be intimidated by the number of young voters, as there are 18 million voters in total.
If elected mayor, she would prioritize senior care and gender issues, she said.
However, if the DPP decides to nominate another candidate, she would fully support the nominee, Lu said, adding that she would not try to dissuade Yao from pursuing the nomination.
Yao yesterday he respected a possible challenge from Lu and has set up communication channels with her, adding that other potential DPP candidates should announce their intentions.
DPP spokesman Tsai Shih-ying (蔡適應) said the party would use the existing nomination mechanism in deciding on it nominees.
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