The ruling and opposition parties yesterday offered contrasting assessments of Saturday’s rally over the tainted cooking oil scandal, with both sides seeking to define its significance ahead of the local elections in November.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) held a rally on Ketagalan Boulevard over the scandal, claiming that more than 200,000 people attended.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials said Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) used the rally to strengthen his position as the KMT’s leading figure ahead of this year’s local elections, overshadowing other prominent party figures such as Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕).
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
However, Chiang’s use of confrontational rhetoric during the rally could undermine his image as a family-oriented father of three, they said.
While the remarks might have energized the KMT’s supporters, they also portrayed Chiang as a combative political figure, potentially alienating centrist and economically focused voters, they added.
Local politicians said the KMT’s emphasis on food safety was intended to shift attention away from KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) stance on cross-strait relations and prevent the issue from becoming a focus of election campaigns.
Although Chiang was seeking to raise his profile, Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) remained the party’s most influential figure, drawing the largest crowd during his speech, they said.
The rally successfully mobilized the KMT’s core supporters, but attendance did not appear to significantly expand beyond the party’s traditional base, they added.
The rally reflected the political calculations of Chiang and his adviser, Yin Wei (殷瑋), DPP sources said.
Chiang successfully positioned himself at the center of the event and emerged as the party’s leading figure, while Cheng, Lu and former Taipei deputy mayor Lee Shu-chuan (李四川), who is running for New Taipei City mayor, played supporting roles, they said.
“The KMT should not be underestimated,” a DPP source said, acknowledging the party’s ability to mobilize supporters.
The food safety issue had energized the KMT’s core voters and raised concerns among DPP supporters, they added.
As the opposition steps up its election campaign, the DPP is bolstering organizational efforts and policy messaging, with plans to deploy senior officials to explain government policies and respond to criticism.
The DPP also plans to continue highlighting its governance record to maintain support among centrist and economically focused voters.
Meanwhile, a KMT source said party members had initially feared that a low turnout could damage the party, but attendance exceeded expectations.
Many participants attended, because they were concerned about food safety, the source said, adding that the rally reflected public dissatisfaction with what they described as the government’s “arrogant attitude.”
The rally boosted morale within the KMT and could improve the party’s prospects of expanding its influence in this year’s local elections, the source said.
Chiang’s call for supporters to take to the streets generated momentum within a week and demonstrated his ability to mobilize supporters, they said, adding that the event reinforced speculation that Chiang could seek the presidency in 2028.
KMT officials also drew parallels between the rally and the 2014 Ting Hsin food safety scandal, which they said had contributed to the party’s heavy losses in that year’s local elections and helped pave the way for the DPP’s victories in the 2016 presidential and legislative elections.
Chiang has succeeded in making food safety a key issue in this year’s local elections, they said.
Livelihood issues could attract voters who normally pay little attention to politics, they added.
If the momentum continues, the KMT could bolster its position in New Taipei City and potentially challenge the DPP in Kaohsiung, they said.
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