New Taipei City Mayor and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) has said repeatedly that he would not run in next year’s presidential election, but that has not stopped KMT members from trying to force his hand.
Chou Sheng-kao (周勝考), the KMT’s caucus whip in the New Taipei City Council, said he hoped Chu would “listen to public opinion,” adding that if voters want him to enter the race, “Chu has to jump in.”
Chu, who would likely be the KMT’s most competitive candidate next year if he were to run, has spelled out on many occasions that he plans to complete his second mayoral term, which began in December last year and does not expire until December 2018.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
When reporters pressed Chu earlier this month about whether he would keep his promise to serve out his term, Chu said: “I will not run in 2016. Is that good enough for you?”
However, KMT members continue to appeal to Chu to take part in the contest, in which a KMT victory is considered a long shot after major defeats in local elections on Nov. 29 last year — fueled by dismal approval ratings of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration.
Chou said he would collect an application form for the KMT presidential primary on Chu’s behalf and pay the required security deposit of NT$2 million (US$64,806).
He and New Taipei City Council Speaker Chiang Ken-huang (蔣根煌), also a KMT member, plan to “take care of” the deposit, he said.
It can be reimbursed as long as the applicant completes the registration process, which requires filling out the application form and collecting the endorsement of at least 5 percent of the KMT’s 300,000 members.
New Taipei City Government Information Department Director Lin Chieh-yu (林芥佑) declined to comment when asked about Chou’s move to get Chu to run.
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