Former Tainan county commissioner Su Huan-chih (蘇煥智), who on Saturday announced his plan to leave the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and run for Taipei mayor, reaffirmed his bid while criticizing the DPP-led central government for failing to address issues such as wage stagnation and the low birth rate.
During a radio interview, Su said that his withdrawal from the party was aimed at addressing issues that plague the nation, including wage stagnation among young people, the low birth rate, the lack of long-term care insurance and slowing innovative industrial development.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Premier William Lai (賴清德) have paid attention to those issues, but their policies and performance have failed to meet public expectations, Su said.
“I am not angry [with the DPP] — what I am worried about is the economic plight of Taiwan,” Su said.
He decided to pursue an independent candidacy, because he does not have a government position, Su said, adding that Tsai offered him some positions, which he refused.
Su said he would not drop out, but persist through the election, even if the DPP nominated its own candidate for Taipei mayor.
Asked why a former Tainan county commissioner would pursue the Taipei mayor’s job, Su said that he has been practicing law in Taipei for years and is a long-time resident.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) is known for his financial management by cutting spending and reducing debts, but has a mediocre city management performance and lacks a comprehensive vision of development, said Su, who has yet to announce his policy for city management.
Saying that the DPP is poised to again forgo the Taipei mayoral election to renew its alliance with Ko, Su said that the party would not need to give up the election if the Tsai administration were successful.
Because the popularity of the administration is falling, Ko could boost his popularity by criticizing the DPP, Su said.
Following Su’s announcement, DPP Legislator Pasuya Yao (姚文智) reiterated his call for the DPP to nominate its own candidate for the Taipei mayoral race, especially now that Su has decided to run.
“If the DPP does not make a nomination, the candidate withdrawing from the party would receive it,” because more than half of the party’s supporters do not want to vote for Ko and might support Su, Yao said.
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