TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Polling expert You Ying-lung (游盈隆) on Wednesday (May 5) called on Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to step down as ruling party leader after she apologized for not enforcing the party’s “criminals exclusion clause."
You, chair of the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation, was responding to comments made by Tsai on Wednesday. She had said that as party leader, “I feel very sorry about unfit people having infiltrated the party, causing a disturbance to society and disappointing supporters."
You wrote in a Facebook post the same day the criminals exclusion clause was, in fact, implemented in 2013, when Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) was the party chairman. However, You said the problem of organized crime ring members joining the party only started to become an issue after Tsai became party leader nine years ago.
You claimed that Tsai, who is also the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairperson, has overlooked the problem and allowed the situation to deteriorate. In You's opinion, this is why the DPP's image has taken a hit.
Public opinion shows that society is angry about the issue, and an apology isn't enough, You claimed. “When you have responsibility and your ethics have become so empty, then political accountability should not be taken lightly.”
If Tsai really felt bad about criminals infiltrating the party, Tsai should accept she is accountable and resign, You insisted.