Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Hou You-yi (侯友宜) last night conceded defeat in the presidential election after losing to the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) William Lai (賴清德) by a margin of about 7 percent.
“I let everyone down for failing to deliver the change of government as expected, and I am deeply sorry,” Hou told supporters participating in the election-night rally.
“I respect the final choice of the voters. This is a democratic election, which means that the voters decide the election’s outcome. We need to face the voters and listen to them. We should move forward based on voters’ expectations,” Hou told rally participants.
Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA-EFE
“I would like to congratulate Vice President Lai and his running mate, Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), with winning the election. I also hope that they would not disappoint Taiwanese... They should have Taiwanese in mind and listen to them. We had a competitive race, but the most important thing is that all political parties should unite Taiwanese after the election in face of all possible challenges in the future. The last thing we need is a divided Taiwan,” he said.
Hou encouraged supporters to turn anger and frustration into power to oversee the DPP government, saying this is the way to move Taiwan forward and defend the nation.
“We will not disappear. Instead, we should become stronger, grow further and move forward. This is the attitude of Taiwanese,” Hou said. “I will roll up my sleeves and work tomorrow, so I would not disappoint people’s support for me.”
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
A New Taipei City resident surnamed Hsu (許), who voted for Hou and his vice presidential candidate, Broadcasting Corp of China (BCC) chairman Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康), told the Taipei Times she was disappointed about the result, but that she was even more disappointed in Taiwan’s young people, as many of them voted for Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) following the breakdown of plans to form a “blue-white” KMT-TPP alliance last year.
“After what happened in the Nov. 23 meeting between KMT and TPP leaders, people can see that Ko is dishonest and cannot be trusted. He can change his political opinions just like that, and yet he could still garner a sizeable share of the popular vote this time. I am just speechless,” Hsu said.
Although the TPP and KMT at first agreed to cooperate in the legislature, the two parties eventually parted ways after failing to agree whether Hou or Ko should be the presidential candidate.
Photo: Liao Yao-tung, Taipei Times
Hsu said that Hou was outperformed by Lai, even in New Taipei City, where Hou has served as mayor for five years and as deputy mayor for eight years.
“It was like what happened to former Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), who ran for president soon after he was elected mayor. Hou did pretty well as New Taipei City mayor and was even re-elected in 2022, but people probably thought he was no different from other politicians, who went ahead to pursue a higher office after they were re-elected in local elections,” Hsu said.
However, Hsu said, the KMT performed well in the legislative elections and even flipped a few seats previously held by DPP legislators, adding that she hoped the party would be a check and balance on the power of the DPP government.
The turnout rate for the presidential race was 71.86 percent, Central Election Commission data showed.
The KMT lost in the three-way presidential race in 2020, capturing 38.61 percent of the votes. Prior to that, the party lost in the three-way presidential race in 2000, garnering only 23.1 percent of the votes.
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