TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – KMT Legislator Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) on Tuesday urged the party leadership to suspend its election in September, stressing the need to focus on upcoming recall campaigns and external crises.
Wang’s comments came after KMT Chair Eric Chu (朱立倫) said Monday that he was willing to step down, while calling on party members and the public to focus on the recall efforts targeting KMT lawmakers. Wang echoed that sentiment, citing external pressure from recall efforts and the detention of local party officials as reasons to prioritize unity, per SETN.
While acknowledging that the party leadership race is important, Wang said the timing was inappropriate. She called on party leadership to resolve internal disputes to avoid further division.
KMT Legislator Hung Mong-kai (洪孟楷) also criticized Chu’s statement, saying the leadership contest is less important than the immediate challenge of defending the 31 KMT legislators facing recall votes in June and July, per NowNews. He warned that potential losses in these recall elections could affect the political stability of several KMT-led municipalities.
Hung specifically named Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, and Taichung, saying the re-election chances of Taoyuan Mayor Simon Chang (張善政) and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), as well as the future handover of leadership by Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) and New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜), could be compromised.
Lin Shui-chi (林水吉), chair of the Joint Association of National Civil Servants, Educators, Military, Police, and Firefighters, also called on KMT members to refrain from engaging in leadership race discussions, per Liberty Times. He voiced support for Chu's potential re-election and opposition to the ongoing DPP-led recall efforts in February.
According to Storm Media, Chu may be facing pressure from within the party due to the potential failure of all KMT-initiated recall efforts to advance to the second stage. The outlet suggested Chu could plan to take responsibility ahead of expected setbacks in early June.
KMT media personality and politician Jaw Shaw-kang (趙少康) also weighed in, suggesting the party's weak performance in recall campaigns reflects a broader lack of confidence in senior leadership, per FTNN. He noted concerns that some within the party might feel their contributions are overlooked or attributed to others.
Jaw added that if Chu were more serious about stepping down, he could consider transferring party leadership to Lu to boost morale and party coordination.
