TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – KMT Chair Eric Chu (朱立倫) invited Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) to succeed him after the party’s lawmakers survived a second round of recall voting on Saturday.

Over the past weeks, Chu has repeatedly stated his intention to retire from the opposition leadership later this year, but without mentioning a possible successor. Lu had been named in the media as a strong contender, but she also refrained from revealing her intentions.

At a news conference after the outcome of the recall vote Saturday, Chu said he would support Lu on the KMT’s road back to power, per CNA. The Taichung mayor is also likely to be a party candidate in the January 2028 presidential elections. Chu added that Lu’s realism and warmth were what Taiwan and the KMT needed now as a force for stability.

The results of two rounds of recall voting in July and Saturday mean that 31 KMT lawmakers will likely remain unchallenged until 2028, with the KMT and the smaller TPP maintaining a majority at the Legislative Yuan.